i can't fall in love without you
by Smudgee
Summary: A s1 and 2 mashup with large portions of canon ignored and tossed out. Jughead wants to get the girl and Veronica wants to help him do it. Betty wants to find her sister and Archie is...Archie.
1. Chapter 1

"Jesus, Arch, girls aren't actually Pokemon, you don't have to collect them all," Jughead tells Archie as he's distracted by yet another completely ordinary but objectively attractive female walking by.

"Did you just out yourself as a nerd even more?" Archie asks, still looking at the back end of the girl he was watching.

"First of all, nerd is term meant to subjugate people with interests considered to be lesser by the people that find them intimidating. And also, I'll have you know, Jellybean was the one who was into it."

"Sure, Jug."

"Hey, I'm not the one whose life goal is to bury themselves knee deep in some strange on the regular, okay?"

Which is the moment, of course, Betty decides to join them at their lunch table.

"Some strange, huh?" Betty says with a smirk. "Going for old school references I see. I like it."

It's times like these he thinks if he believed in the tales of fate and threads attaching you to people you're meant to know there would be a couple of loose strings connecting him and his family and Archie and enough strings to anchor him to Betty Cooper for the rest of his burger loving life. There are certain certainties in life, Jughead accepts this despite his best efforts not to and with that acceptance he knows a few things; the world is round, he will _never_ for any reason believe Forsythe was the best name his parents could come up with, and Betty is the only one for him.

He is genuinely ashamed at his desire to be labeled and label her like some low level dude bro jock but at this point he assumes it's simple biology and an inherent weakness to her very existence. He knows he sounds pathetic, it's something he's decided to own. He's fairly certain no one else knows how he feels, _maybe_ Kevin on the off chance he pays attention but Kevin is easily distracted by drama and Jughead has no intention of causing any for him to look too closely at.

"You know I like the classics, Betty," Jughead tells her with a grin.

"We both know what this school is really missing is a concise use of classic innuendo. You should write an article for the Blue and Gold, tell the masses your message," she says to him with a smile as she reaches over to take the chip he was about to eat out of his hand.

"How come Betty gets to share your food but you bit me when I tried to share your fries once?" Archie asks.

"Hey pal, I was a kid then. Also you don't share, when you do it, it's stealing and thievery is just rude, Arch."

"It was last year!"

"Semantics, my friend."

"So, what's playing at the Twilight this weekend, Juggie?" Betty asks, pulling out a bag of chips out of her backpack to hand to him with a wink.

"This is why I share with her, by the way, Archie. She gives more than she takes," Jughead tells Archie with a satisfied sigh as he opens the chip bag. "And to answer you, Betty, I'm thinking about Rosemary's Baby."

"A horror movie, Jug? It's not even Halloween."

"Well what do you suggest? And no more musicals."

"Hmm, how about Cat on a Hot Tin Roof?" Betty suggests, nudging him with her shoulder.

"Are you on another Paul Newman kick?"

"What? It's perfect, you get a good movie, Paul Newman, and Elizabeth Taylor. Please tell me how that's not perfect?" Betty says with slight indignation.

"I'll think about it."

He's trying desperately not to think about her leg pressed against his as he zones out a little while Betty and Archie talk about the football game that Friday. There's part of him that knows he should just speak up, make a move, do _something_ before the masses (who must be blind to not have already seen what he sees) figure out what a great catch Betty is but the fear of rejection, embarrassment, and losing her friendship keeps his mouth shut and his dreams open.

He hears Archie asking a question once he crawls back out of his own head, "So, there's a new girl you're going to show around tomorrow? Do you know anything about her?"

"Only that her name is Veronica Lodge and she's from the city."

"Veronica, huh? Sounds sexy," Archie says with a goofy smile of a man who's already knee deep in imaginary strange with a girl he's never even met.

He tells himself part of the reason he'll never tell Betty the truth is based on the brittle smile she gives Archie as he postulates on another conquest. If no one knew Jughead had it bad for Betty, it seems the only person not to know she's got it bad for Archie is Archie himself. Jughead quietly thinks one day Archie will wake up and see Betty for the girl she is and he knows it makes him selfish but he also hopes he never does.

* * *

The next morning Betty is a little nervous to meet the new girl as she waits in the office for Veronica to show. She hopes she's friendly and she'll never admit it but she hopes she's not as attractive as Archie thinks her name suggests. The crush she's been fruitlessly nursing on Archie for what is probably far too long is just depressing at this point. She knows, deep down, that boys who want to be with you, will make a move. It's been years and they're still just friends. Betty is working on accepting it but it's a process.

Betty hears the tell-tale click of high heels on hard flooring and looks up to see a beautiful girl headed her way. _Of course_ Betty thinks to herself. Not only is the new girl beautiful, she's wearing clothes Betty could never pull off. And pearls. She steels herself with her best Cooper smile and asks, "Veronica Lodge?"

"That's me, you must be Betty Cooper?" Veronica inquires in response.

"I am! So, I'll be your peer mentor for today, I'll show you around the school, help you with your schedule, anything you need you just let me know."

"First things first Betty dear, you have to tell me how the boys are in this town? Good? Not so good? Are we ladies permanently single based on lack of acceptable options?" Veronica asks, grabbing onto Betty's arm as she leads her out of the office and into the hallway.

"Oh, well, I'm not really the person to ask, boys don't seem to notice me but having grown up with most of the guys here, I can say most are nice. Maybe. I don't really know how they are for dating to be honest, but they're usually very nice to me," Betty tells her with a fidgeting hand at the collar of her sweater.

"You? No boys are interested in you? Have they seen you? Hell, I'm almost interested and I'm straight. You're beautiful, Bettykins," Veronica says with a sweet smile aimed at her new friend. "I'll tell you what, we'll find you a boy, if that's what you want, and in return you can be my new BFF because Betty Cooper, I can tell we were meant to be."

At that moment Betty sees Archie and Jughead headed down the hallway and much like many men before and after him, Archie has a Pavlovian response to seeing Veronica for the first time. Jughead meets her eyes and rolls them at their friend's predictability.

"Oh," she hears Veronica whisper, "Ginger is a flavor I've never had."

If there is a proverbial nail in the coffin of her Archie related hopes, Betty thinks this might be the final one.

"And who are you, tall, red, and intriguing?" Veronica asks Archie.

"Archie Andrews. And you must be Veronica Lodge? Betty told me about you yesterday."

"I am. And how do you know my sweet new BFF Betty?"

At that Jughead gives Betty a bewildered look and Betty just shrugs in response. She likes Veronica so far, she's been perfectly lovely and Betty is a big believer in giving everyone a chance.

"She's my best friend and neighbor. This is Jughead Jones," Archie tells Veronica with a head nod to where Jughead is standing. "He's our other best friend, not a neighbor though."

"Jughead?" Veronica questions with a confused look of someone who thinks they didn't hear it right while also hoping not to offend if they did hear it correctly.

"The third," Jughead interjects with a nod of acknowledgment. "The real thing is worse, trust me."

"If you say so."

As the first bell rings, Betty tells Veronica they need to get to their first class but grabs something out of her bag while getting ready to walk away.

"Here you go, Juggie. It's a couple muffins from the batch I made last night," Betty says to him with a smile as she hands him a small paper bag. "Blueberry banana, I know you like that kind."

"Thanks, Betty."

* * *

He knows he has a goofy look of adoration on his face for both Betty and the muffins. He knows he should school his reactions around a new girl who has already declared Betty her new best friend. New people are often observant as they learn their surroundings and he's slipped into the complacency of people seeing through him and not noticing him noticing Betty. He makes the mistake of meeting Veronica's eyes as he walks by and he knows he's messed up. She's got a calculating look on her face and a smirk that makes her dangerous to the safety of the bubble he's been keeping himself in.

He's already panicking.

* * *

 **A/N: This has 25 chapters, it comes in at about 94k words with a sequel that's not finished yet. It did win a bughead fic award so woohoo for me, am I right? Happy Saturday, y'all!**


	2. Chapter 2

Jughead would like to believe he's not avoiding Veronica but he knows he is. Change is not a sensation he likes and changing his routine to avoid her seems like the lesser of two evils. Well, okay, maybe not evils but lesser of two inconvenient things he would prefer to not have to deal with. He's nothing if not pragmatic about his own ability to compartmentalize

He's very comfortable in his pining for Betty. It's a system he has down and any routine changes are just as likely to throw his world into chaos as they are to make anything better. He watches from afar (or up close, he's really not very picky), he daydreams, he thinks about how Betty might get over Archie one day, he feels bad for Betty every time Archie takes out a new girl, it's a process he's found a niche in. Veronica Lodge, however, seems like just the sort of thing to come along and shake the entire foundation of the bed he's made for himself to lie in.

Which is why he's a little more than mildly uncomfortable when he finds himself sitting with his two best friends and two over observant interlopers at lunch three days post-Veronica. Kevin Keller and Veronica Lodge are the team up nightmares are made of. He thinks about damage control and how to play it cool like nothing ever happened but he's not a great liar in the first place so just staying quiet seems like his best bet.

That's if he's lucky and they let that happen. Which means, of course, that there's no way that's going to happen.

As he sits in quiet contemplation of the pretty pink sweater Betty is wearing that is doing wonderful things for her eyes he can feel the heat of Veronica's stare.

"Can I help you, Veronica?" he gives in and asks. A terrible decision in retrospect but he's not known for his decision making abilities.

"Why yes, Jughead, yes you can. As I said, had you been listening and not been thinking about whatever it is you think about, you'd know I've decided to throw a get to know everyone party this weekend. I was simply asking if you could take time out of your busy schedule to attend," Veronica says to him, wearing the same scary look that made him unable to eat his muffins from the other day for at _least_ twenty minutes after receiving them. A true crime, he thinks.

"Yeah, see, parties aren't my thing. Plus I have to work on the weekends."

"You don't like parties?" Veronica asks with a skeptical look.

"Large groups of people I've known since I was five only to have made friends with two of them over the course of a decade? No thanks, Veronica, I'd rather sit through Betty making me watch Mama Mia again, which was terrible enough-."

"Jughead Jones, you liar. First, it's a well known fact you cannot be in a bad mood while ABBA is playing- don't roll your eyes at me! I don't make the rules, Jug, these are just facts. And also, I saw you smiling. Like, _three_ times," Betty interrupts with a shocked and dismayed look on her face.

"You got Jughead to watch Mama Mia, Betty?" Kevin asks with a laugh.

"Of course! Okay, yes, I had to bribe him with food but in the end he watched it and despite what he will say, he liked it."

"Doubt it took much bribing," he hears Veronica say to Kevin under her breath as Kevin looks on in rapture of the conversation.

"First of all, it was Pop's so basically it was as good as giving me actual currency. And second, while I admittedly watched it, I also almost died having to listen to Pierce Brosnan sing so really, Betty, I think you still owe me," Jughead tells Betty with a shudder of reliving that part of the movie.

"Almost died, really?" Betty scoffs at him.

"Yes, I felt the very light of my soul being sucked out with every syllable I was forced to endure."

"So dramatic, Juggie."

"While this argument is cute and I will be tucking it away for posterity, this has nothing to do with my party and Jughead's attendance," Veronica interjects, waving a fry between them to bring the subject back to her.

"Oh, yes, it does," Kevin says, with what Jughead would classify as a Look towards Betty.

 _Oh god no_ , Jughead thinks to himself. If only the world would swallow him up and let him perish in peace. That sort of luck is reserved for, well, anyone but him, he assumes.

"And what does that mean, Mr. Keller?" Veronica asks.

"It means the only person who can get Jughead to do anything is Betty. It's always been that way, ever since we were kids. We even had a fight once when he insisted Betty be allowed in our boys only tree house," Archie responds before Kevin can. "If I remember right I threw mud at Jug for it and then Betty threw mud at me in his defense."

"I can't believe you were going to exclude me, Archibald!" Betty exclaims, still offended years later. "I'm not even sorry I buried your GI Joes after that, by the way."

"That was you?! I looked for weeks for them. Uncool, Betty."

"Yes, it was me. And I'll never tell you where they are now, either," Betty tells him, offended for her younger self.

"How did you even get them?" Archie wants to know.

If Jughead could become invisible at this moment, he would. This is ammunition Veronica and Kevin simply _do not need._ The fact that he smuggled Archie's GI Joe's out to a weepy and red faced Betty in pigtails with a need for revenge is something they agreed to take the the grave. There were pinky swears and brownies consumed in solidarity. That sort of secrecy simply can't be broken.

"That is not important, Archie. The point is that I hope you mourned them because you're never getting them back," Betty says with a look of disdain.

"Poor Ghostrider. What did he ever do to you?" Archie questions, a sad look on his face.

"He was a casualty of war, Archie. Sacrifices had to be made," Betty intones with a passive look on her face. Jughead is trying to fight the smile that wants to overtake his face but he knows he's got an audience and out of sheer force of will he manages to hold it back. "Anyway, Veronica, if Jughead has to work, he has to work. I'm sure he's sorry about missing your party though."

There is moment where Jughead knows the only one who believes that sentiment at the table they're sharing is Betty. He is not sorry about missing the party. He is thankful he has to work. He is praising the part time job gods that it interrupts this scheduled event he knows would be nothing but torture for him.

"Yes, Veronica, truly sorry for missing your shindig," Jughead says to Veronica in a contrite voice that barely qualifies as almost apologetic.

"Shindig? Really?" Veronica asks with a raised brow.

"It's all the old movies he watches, this is nothing. Wait until he starts quoting Tarantino," Archie tells Veronica. "I've had to google things, Ronnie. Can you believe I actually had to google stuff just to keep up?"

"Oh Archiekins. You are...adorable in a whole new way," Veronica responds with a hand on his arm, making Archie smile. If he doesn't look at her, he won't see the hurt on Betty's face so he keeps his eyes forward and decides distraction is key.

"Listen, _Archiekins_ , Tarantino is the godfather of indie movies, he is a king to be respected for his vision and ingenuity of what he brings to the screen."

"Not Hitchcock, Jug?" Betty asks him, handing him the half of her sandwich she wasn't going to eat.

"Hitchcock was a genius when it came to making movies, yes, but he was a hedonistic sexist douche canoe when it came to the women in his films and that is unacceptable," Jughead says, pausing to take a large bite of his newfound sandwich.

"Well aren't you enlightened, Jughead?" Veronica quips with an entertained look on her face. "Still watch them though, don't you?"

"The man is dead, he's nothing but a cautionary tale of twat-wafflery these days so why deny ourselves access to true cinematic poetry?"

"Can we please get back to the party talk?" Kevin asks Veronica, the boredom plain on his face.

"Yes! I'm thinking Saturday night at my place and Betty, you have to come over early to get ready, okay?" Veronica tells Betty with clear enthusiasm.

"Sure," Betty agrees.

At that, Jughead stands up having finished his lunch and tugs on the strap of the bag still wrapped around Betty's arm and says, "Hey, the Blue and Gold waits for no man. Or woman. Person? Eh, either way, we gotta jet."

Betty nods her head at him and he waits behind her while she says goodbye to everyone. He's tempted to put his hand on her lower back as they walk away but he knows he's had this conversation with his brain before. No touching Betty without explicit permission to do so no matter what the betrayal of biology wants him to believe.

* * *

"Are we supposed to just ignore that situation or is this something we can move along?" Veronica demanded.

"What situation?" Archie questions.

"Are you serious? Is he serious? He cannot be serious. Kevin, tell me he can see what's going on," Veronica implores with wide eyes to Kevin's amused face.

"Oh Ronnie. He's serious. Sweetly oblivious is his main state of mind," Kevin declared. "What we have is a classic trope of girl wants boy who wants everyone while other boy pines for girl, waiting for her to wake up and smell the fuckboy."

"What are you guys talking about?" Archie asks them, looking confused.

"Don't you worry about it, Archiekins. It'll be fine," Veronica remarks, "Didn't you say you needed to talk to Coach Clayton?"

"Oh yeah, thanks for reminding me, Ronnie," he tells her, grabbing his bag and heading off towards the gym.

"Alright, with our resident Romeo out of the way, what are we going to do? It's almost painful to watch her be totally unaware while watching Jughead look at her the way I look at Louboutins."

"I think Betty thinks she and Archie are endgame out of habit at this point but we know the best plot twists are the ones no one thinks are coming. Betty doesn't see Jughead as an option because he doesn't present himself as one. He doesn't talk to girls, he's never asked anyone out, he keeps to Betty and Archie. Always has. Even when Ethel tried to kiss him in sixth grade he literally ran off and stood behind Betty for the rest of the day."

"Okay, so we have Betty into Archie, Archie into girls in general but not Betty, Jughead into Betty, and Betty not having a clue about Jughead?" Veronica ponders.

"Essentially. We need to break Betty of her Archibald habit, get Jughead to finally do something about Betty, and Archie needs to, I don't know, become more self aware or something."

"So what do we do?"

"We could make Jughead jealous?"

"No. Absolutely not. Not with a guy like Jughead. Archie? Yes. Jughead? He'd internalize it and probably assume the order of things had finally caught up to him. Besides, I think he sort of lives in a perpetual state of jealousy over her and he's not done anything so far. No, I think he'd do something if Betty were clearly over Archie. He's probably planned it out, waiting for the day. I actually feel bad for him now," Veronica sighs resting her chin in the palm of her hand with a sad look at Kevin. "And that beanie? It's not going anywhere is it?"

"Not unless you're willing to get into witchcraft to separate him from it. He's had it for years. As far as I know the only people outside of the Jones household to see it off are Betty and Archie. Either he's hiding a perfect head of hair which would make me hate him or it's where he keeps extra food and both options are entirely possible."

"We need a plan to make this happen."

"That we do," Kevin says to Veronica with a conspiring smile.

* * *

In the Blue and Gold office Jughead sat next to Betty at the desk looking over at the papers she had spread out. If they were right, this was big. It could change _everything_ they thought they knew about their town.

* * *

 **A/N: Man, you guys on here are a tough crowd, it's like crickets for feedback. Well, no, that's a lie, crickets make some noise. Anyway, this story is finished so I'll be posting once a day probably but after that, this'll probably be it since the overwhelming silence seems like I'm the only one who digs my stories being on here, hah.**


	3. Chapter 3

_He meets Betty Cooper when he's five years old. His desk is next to hers in their kindergarten class, name tags taped at the top with big bold lettering spelling their names. Jughead can read some words but he doesn't know the one on the desk next to his. He does know, though, that his spells Forsythe and he is not happy about it. As he's sulking in his chair a little girl in a pink dress with white ruffles and hair that looks nothing like his runs up to him and says, "Hi, I'm Betty, I'm going to sit next to you!" And Jughead thinks that the name on the tag looks nothing like what she just said._

 _"I don't think so," he says with a serious expression, "That doesn't sound right." He points to the name tag and looks back up at her. He notices then she has big green eyes and and a nice smile and she smells like cookies and there's nothing Jughead likes more than cookies._

 _"No that's me, I'm Elizabeth but I like to be called Betty," she says with a lift of her shoulders like it's not a big deal. "I like your hat! What's your name?"_

 _"Jughead," he tells her, still sulking over the Forsythe written on his desk._

 _"That doesn't look like what's on your tag, is it a nickname like mine?" Betty asks him shuffling into the small plastic chair next to him._

 _"Yeah, I hate that name. I told them to call me Jughead but they didn't listen."_

 _"Let's fix it," Betty says with a smile as she leans towards him. "My mom gave me paper and crayons before we came here, do you think we can get some tape?"_

 _He doesn't know if anyone will give them some but he does think they can get it themselves if they try. He sees his best friend, Archie Andrews, walk through the door and an idea comes to him._

 _"Archie!" he calls out, waving his hand at his friend._

 _"You know Archie too?" Betty asks excitedly._

 _"He's my best friend," Jughead tells her seriously._

 _"Mine too!" she tells him with an even bigger smile than before. "I met him after we moved in next door to him."_

 _Archie reaches them with a bright red backpack and blue lunch box and says, "Betty! Jughead! I didn't know we were all gonna be in the same class. This is awesome."_

 _"Yeah it is," Jughead responds, "Archie, we need you to go ask the teacher a question before everyone is here, okay?"_

 _"Okay, but why?"_

 _"We need tape to fix our names on the desks."_

 _"Alright," Archie agrees without question and walks back over to teacher and once they see her attention is on Archie, Jughead slips past her on quiet feet to gingerly grab the tape dispenser on her desk. By the time he gets back to where he and Betty are sitting, she's got two strips of paper out and an array of crayons out to write with._

 _"What color do you want?" Betty asks him, sliding over a piece of paper to his desk._

 _"Green," he says quickly, grabbing the crayon off her desk._

 _"I like green," she tells him, "I think I'm going to pick purple."_

 _They both carefully and slowly make their new name tags with large colorful letters using more tape than necessary to cover up the other ones. Once finished, Betty looks for the teacher, seeing she's distracted by another grown up, she quickly takes the tape and sets it back on the desk where it belongs. Betty skips back to their desks and jumps into her chair happily just as the teacher turns her attention to the class._

 _Archie is three desks over so he doesn't know how often he will get to talk to him during class but he decides then and there that Betty may be the best girl he's ever met. As he looks at his new name tag taped slightly crooked to his desk he smiles at the green lettering._

 _It stays there for the whole year._

* * *

As Betty walks on the sidewalk headed toward the Twilight she thinks about the last few hours and Veronica's words keep repeating in her head.

 _First love isn't always the right love, Betty, sometimes you can only find what you need when you let yourself feel heartbreak. A broken heart isn't failure, it's life telling you to go in a different direction._

She knows, realistically, Archie was never going to return her feelings. He's not shy about asking girls out, he's not shy about dating them. If he was interested, she would have known by now. The sting of rejection is still there though, that bit of hurt that makes you want to know why you're not enough for them. Logically she knows you can't control the way people feel but hurt feelings are almost never logical.

The start of Veronica's party had been fun, she had let Veronica dress her up, there was good music and her friends, sans Jughead of course, but she was having a better time than she usually has at most parties. Until Cheryl Blossom showed up with her minions.

 _"The party can start now!" Cheryl announced, followed by the rest of the River Vixens. It's not that she dislikes Cheryl, it's that Cheryl dislikes her. She thinks it has something to do with Cheryl's brother, Jason, and her sister, Polly. Betty doesn't know what it's about yet but she's promised herself she'll find out._

 _"Well, well, Veronica Lodge, not inviting a Blossom to your new in town party? Are you already trying to commit social suicide?" Cheryl questions Veronica with a defiant look on her face._

 _"Oh Cheryl, if you think you're going to come into my house and intimidate me let me tell you, your small town mean girl act is actually embarrassing, you wouldn't last a week in the city."_

 _Cheryl stands with her arms crossed, a smirk on her face and contemplation in her eyes before she finally says, "You pass, Veronica Lodge. I expect you at Vixen tryouts on Monday. Leave the baggage at home," she adds with a contemptuous look at Betty._

 _"No B, no V, Cheryl. And if you try and fat shame Betty like you did last year we're going to see how well you can cheer with my heel prints on your face," Veronica tells her with hard eyes that promise retribution._

 _"We'll see."_

It had been nice to have someone defend her to Cheryl. Though she loves him, Kevin is often entertained first and concerned second when drama happens. Archie will stick up for her as well but only if he hears it and Cheryl is very good at getting her alone to tear her down. Jughead always tells Cheryl to stop when she catches them together but then again she's just as likely to go after Jughead as well so it's easier for both of them to walk away.

She's only about five minutes away from the drive-in when her mind inevitably goes back to the reason she ran away in the first place.

" _Now that everyone relevant is here, as well as you, Betty-"_

 _"Cheryl!" Veronica yells from her place next to Betty on the couch._

 _"Fine. Now that everyone is here, let the games begin."_

 _She grabbed an empty bottle and set it on the floor, the implication of the game clear._

 _"Spin the Bottle? Really? Are we thirteen again?" Veronica questions with a roll of her eyes._

 _"No, it's Spin the Bottle with the added bonus of 7 Minutes in Heaven."_

 _"Very mature, Cheryl."_

 _"Maturity has little room in games of entertainment, Veronica. Okay, who wants to go first?" Cheryl asks with eyes wandering and flitting between Archie and Betty. "I think we'll go alphabetical. Andrews, you're up."_

 _Archie just shrugs and spins the bottle watching where it could potentially land. Whether it was fate or just a terrible sequence of events, the unthinkable happens._

 _It lands directly pointing at Betty._

 _Betty stiffens with apprehension and Archie looks uncomfortable. Betty hears Kevin whisper, "I can't breathe!" to Veronica and Veronica is looking at Betty with sympathy trying to figure out a way to salvage this for her. She doesn't have to, though, Archie does it just fine for her in a way that proves his intentions with Betty are always going to be pure._

 _It's not said with malice, it's intent is to protect their friendship and keep the status quo between them and Betty can't even pretend to be surprised when she hears him say, "No way, Betty is like my sister."_

 _Veronica is holding her hand tightly and she can feel numerous pairs of eyes on her and she maintains that Cooper passivity that's been drilled into her since she could walk. She's taking even breaths, she's willing her hands not to curl into themselves which is easier with the comfort Veronica is giving her._

 _Betty thinks it takes less than a minute total but by the time the world stops spinning Archie's got Val in the closet and she's kept her composure. Alice Cooper would be so proud._

 _It's a half hour later when Veronica is giving her words to think over when she says she just wants to leave, she'll walk, she's fine, thanks for everything, V._

Betty climbs the steps to the projection booth at the Twilight, skipping the squeaky one, and finally opening the door with a light knock and sees Jughead look at her with surprised eyes.

"Hi, Juggie."

"Hey. I thought you were at Veronica's party?" he asks her looking at the dress she's wearing. "You look nice."

"Thanks. I was, I felt like leaving. So, what are you playing?" Betty wonders, going over to sit next to him on the cot up against the wall.

"We both know I was going to put your suggestion on, Betts. Paul Newman, Elizabeth Taylor, a good story? It's perfect," he tells her with a soft smile and nudge to her shoulder. "So, what really happened?"

"How come you always know?"

"One of my many talents, Cooper. Now fess up."

"Cheryl showed up-"

"That would do it," Jughead interrupts.

"And of course she wants to play Spin the Bottle. Which leads into 7 Minutes in Heaven."

"Lame."

"True, but then she makes Archie go first and of course it lands on me just so I can hear him tell everyone in the room he doesn't want to because I'm like his sister."

"I'm sorry, Betty."

"Yeah, me too. It's not even that he rejected me, I knew that was coming-"

"What? Why would you think that?"

"Boys who are interested in someone usually go after them," she tells him, noticing his eyes widen for a fraction of a second. She slumps further against the wall and looks down at her hands in her lap. "So, it's not even that he rejected me, I could have told you that, it's just so much easier to focus on Archie than it is to admit I'm lonely."

"Lonely? You have a lot of friends, Betty."

"Yeah, but, I'd like to date before college at some point. Friends, sure, but also it's nice to know someone wants to kiss you, you know?"

"If it helps, I totally would have taken you in the closet," Jughead says to her with a sideways smile.

"Is that so?"

"Sure. We could have made over-under bets on the odds of Moose leaving with Midge or Kevin and go through all the pockets of the coats for Pop's money."

"Thanks, Jug," she tells him finally wearing a genuine smile.

They sit quietly side by side watching the rest of the movie and when he walks her home, before she climbs the steps to her front door he declares, "Betty, you don't want Archie cast as your Romeo anyhow, I heard that story has a _terrible_ ending."

She laughs and sighs as she says, "Goodnight Jughead."

"'Night, Betty."

* * *

The next morning Jughead is staring silently at the person sitting across from him in Pop's. He huffs out a breath, not willing to believe what he was about to do, it goes against everything he's ever stood for. The chance it could blow up in his face is very real and very nerve-wracking to the delicate balance he's been trying to maintain.

"Thanks for meeting me," he says to his companion.

"No problem, want to tell me what this is about?"

"First let me say that I am against this. This is a substantially bad idea. I want that made clear, okay?"

"It's clear."

"Whatever you and Kevin have planned and we both know that you have something brewing involving me and Betty, don't deny it, I want in."

Across from him, Veronica leans back into the vinyl of her seat and smiles.


	4. Chapter 4

_Boys who are interested in someone usually go after them_ reverberates in his head from the moment Betty says it until the next day when he feels like he's selling his soul to Veronica Lodge. Jughead wasn't prepared for Betty to walk through the Twilight's door in a pretty dress, with her pretty hair around her shoulders, and her pretty eyes so sad. There's nothing he dislikes more than a sad Betty but he can't help her with getting over Archie. That's a job for her and her alone.

He doesn't know if Betty could be interested in him but he thinks not knowing is getting more unbearable by the day. The idea, the _thought_ of her being capable of returning his feelings gives him an insidious feeling of hope sliding over all of his jagged edges, it's cautionary but it's taking root, making his world a little brighter. He thinks happiness is a risk you need to be willing to destroy yourself for and he can't think of a better reason for destruction than Betty Cooper.

Veronica has told him about her four step plan and as much as he hates to admit it, he doesn't think it's all that bad.

Step one is exposure. Betty is pretty well exposed to him already, but this plan calls for most of that time spent just the two of them. He wholeheartedly approves of this step.

Step two is flirting. He's learned from Veronica that not giving Betty any indication he's interested other than longing looks he throws her way when she's not looking doesn't really make himself an option to Betty. He does not have high hopes for this step so far.

Step three is a date. Jughead has been informed that he will be asking Betty to the Homecoming dance. This step scares him for two reasons: he has to face possible rejection and also go to a school dance. If Betty says yes, though, he thinks it'll be worth it.

Step four is what Veronica calls "Kissing the Girl." He's had this step in mind for longer than he's willing to admit. This step is getting him through the battlefield of the other three. If, that is, he can manage to do them all in the first place.

He's promised to meet Veronica before school and much to his surprise she had offered the use of Smithers, her trusted driver, to pick him up at his house. An offer he had declined, no one knew he was living in the projection booth at the Twilight and he wants to keep it that way. There might be a chance Betty saw some of his stuff there but the room was pretty dim when she was in there the other night so he thinks he's still safe. God help him if Betty figures it out, he's not ready for that level of intervention.

When he finds Veronica in the Blue and Gold office, his suggestion for privacy since no one but he and Betty are usually in it, she's waiting with coffee and what looks like a bag of donuts. He wants to eye them suspiciously but it's food and food almost never has evil intentions on its own.

"Good morning, Jughead," Veronica chirps at him.

"It's too early to be this enthusiastic, what exactly is in that coffee of yours?" he questions, trying to cover up a yawn. "But good morning as well if we're exchanging pleasantries."

"Here, these are for you," she tells him as she hands him the extra coffee and donuts. "I've also got one for you to give to Betty, but packaged separately, since I've seen you eat."

"Thanks," he says around the mouthful of donut he's already got in his mouth and then takes a drink of the coffee, trying not to choke on it when he discovers how hot it is.

"You do swallow your food before you talk to Betty, right?" she questions him with a look of revulsion.

"Of course, I save all my manners for Betty," he quips at her, raising an eyebrow. "Actually, I think I learned all my manners from her. The fear of Alice Cooper's wrath at any dinner table is more than enough motivation."

"Her mom's a piece of work, I assume?"

"That's putting it...very politely."

"I had wondered why I hadn't met her yet, it seems like Betty is keeping me out of her house," Veronica says to him, perching herself on one of the desks.

"She is, but it's not you, it's definitely Mrs. Cooper. To this day Archie and I can't figure out if Betty actually likes all that pink or if it's her mom," he mumbles to her around another bite of donut. "Mostly likely her mom, to be honest, Polly was a victim of the pastel parade as well."

"Ah yes, the mysterious Polly. Do you know where she is?"

"Nope. No one does, except maybe Betty's parents. Possibly Jason Blossom since he's also gone and they were dating."

"The intrigue of the small town is finally appearing," she responds, "So now, about this plan of mine, you need to be subtle. Can you do subtle or-"

"Or, and hear me out, I can just hang out with Betty and see where it goes," Jughead interrupts.

"You already hang out with Betty, all the time, so have you seen where it's going?" Veronica questions with a pointed look.

"Okay, fine, but in my defense, I've never tried to date her before. You know, because of her lifelong Archie love."

She sighs at him, "Jughead, I know you think she's always going to see nothing but Archie but as a woman take it from me, he's just a leftover childhood nostalgia she got comfortable maintaining."

"She told me something along those lines on Saturday but-"

"But nothing! I know you think she's never going to get over it but being rejected is a _fantastic_ form of closure and that's all I think she really needed. Just give her a chance and furthermore, give _yourself_ a chance. And also maybe give yourself a little credit and confidence, it can get you pretty far. You know her better than probably even Archie at this point."

"Look-I, I just-"

"You really hate that I'm right, don't you?"

"So much, you have no idea. It physically pains me," he huffs out, disgruntled.

"Let me help you, I just want Betty happy."

"We all want Betty happy. She's _Betty_."

"Don't get mad at me for this but I have to know, do you keep food under that hat or…?"

"Goodbye, Veronica."

"Fine, Jughead. I'll talk to you later. Please follow my rules, okay?" she tells him as she grabs her bag and starts to walk away. "Also don't forget to give Betty that donut, it's her favorite according to Archie."

"Sprinkles?"

"Nope, maple, but thank you for proving my point," she says with a wink and strolls out the door.

He glares at her back until he can't see her anymore before turning back to the desk to wait for Betty to show.

* * *

"Jug! Hey, Jug!" he hears Archie calling as he's making his way down the hall on his way to lunch.

"What's up, Arch?" Jughead asks when he catches up.

"Have you seen Betty? I haven't seen her since Ronnie's party and I want her opinion on this new song."

"I saw her this morning, in the Blue and Gold office. And we have classes together, so again, yeah, I've seen her," Jughead drolly remarks to him, grabbing a tray for his lunch. "Still on your music writing kick since the summer?"

He's pretty sure Betty is actively avoiding Archie but he doesn't think it's his place to explain it to him without Betty's consent. If she wants to talk to him, she'll make herself available. He knows she will eventually, it's incredibly hard to stay mad at Archie, it's like being angry with a big puppy for acting exactly like a big puppy would; never purposely hurtful but would feel horrible if it thought it did anything to upset you.

"Yeah, Val came over Sunday to help me with some stuff I've been stuck on and I think I've finally got it."

As they make their way outside after getting their lunches, they spot Veronica and Kevin at a table but no blonde ponytail among them. Archie looks disappointed and Jughead is disappointed but he understands the reason why.

"Have either of you seen Betty?" Archie asks Veronica and Kevin as he sits down.

"In class, Archiekins, but other than that, no," Veronica responds to him with a curious glance. "Why?"

"I wanted her opinion, and all of yours too, on this song I'm writing."

"So, Jughead, did you give Betty her treat this morning?" Veronica remarks with the innocent tone of someone who has no innocence to spare.

"I did. She politely thanks you for the thoughtful consideration for her breakfast needs."

"Wait, how come Betty gets treats and I'm over here not getting treats?" Kevin demands.

"You said and I quote, 'If I eat one more carb this week I am going to turn into actual dough and then no guy will ever touch me again' so I was thinking of your health, Kevin dear," she says with a scoff. "And I thought Betty deserved it."

"Did you get her the maple one I suggested?" Archie wants to know.

Kevin looks confused. "But her favorite is spr-"

"I did indeed, Archiekins. Thank you for the recommendation," Veronica interjects with an elbow to Kevin's side.

As Archie goes on about his 'musical process' he he feels his phone vibrating in his pocket. When he checks the screen he sees it's a text from Betty.

 _Has Archie made you listen to his song yet?_

Jughead texts back quickly. _No not yet, he's talking about it though_

He gets a rapid reply and can't help but snort a laugh when he reads it. _I had to hear it all day Sunday through my window and it sounded like what I assume getting punched in the face feels like_

He asks her if she wants to meet after school and when she responds with a Sure he slips his phone back in his pocket.

"What was that?" Veronica questions with a pointed look.

"It was Betty, I need to see her later for something. And Archie, she said she could hear you playing your song on Sunday and she loved it," he tells Archie, hoping to spare Betty's ears as much as possible.

Archie's all smiles as he says, "Great, so you guys want to hear it now?"

Jughead stifles a groan and says, "Sure, Arch. Absolutely."

* * *

"So," Betty tells him in the Blue and Gold office after school, "how do you feel about doing a little sleuthing with me this weekend?"

"Sounds good. Have you gotten a lead on Polly?"

"Not yet, but that's what this weekend is for. I can't believe my parents won't tell me anything!" she exclaims, disgruntled. "Well, okay, I can, but unless she's joined a cult or a convent or something equally absurd I can't imagine why she hasn't at least called me no matter what my parents say. Or texted. Or email. I'll even take smoke signals!"

"Hey, it'll be okay. We'll find her first and then we'll face the dragon," Jughead soothes, reaching out and putting a hand on her shoulder for a moment. He figures he can break his no touching rule for a distraught Betty, especially when it seems to calm her down and it's above the elbows. Veronica has been very clear that casual touching between friends is not out of bounds but he thinks it could become out of bounds when the real problem is being able to _stop_ touching her.

"The dragon?" Betty says with a laugh.

"Betts, your mom is terrifying," he tells her seriously, "I've seen her make Sheriff Keller flinch just by walking in the room. If we're going to piss her off we need our case to be airtight."

"You're probably right," she concedes.

"You didn't really say much this morning, do you feel any better after this weekend?"

"I'm fine."

"Great," he replies, "Now that you got the Cooper standard response out, do you want to tell me how you really are?"

"I'm really fine, Jug. Promise. If anything I'm more upset I have that stupid song of his stuck in my head."

"Oh Betty, I'm so sorry," Jughead murmurs as Betty checks her phone for the time.

"I need to meet Veronica for Vixen tryouts, apparently that's a thing that also happened at the party," she tells him, grabbing her bag and tugging the strap over her shoulder and heading for the door. "Wish me luck!"

"Good luck," he chokes out because despite everything he stands for he's still a guy and the idea of Betty in a cheerleading outfit is something he thought he was safe from after last year's tryout failure. He groans softly and can't decide if he suddenly hates his life or needs to thank Veronica.


	5. Chapter 5

"Look at you, Bettykins!" Veronica enthused, "And those legs! I am already a little more gay than the day I met you."

Betty smiles and shakes her head at her newest friend. She couldn't believe she was really standing there in a River Vixen's uniform, especially after last year's humiliating experience. She's still not quite sure why Veronica kissed her if not for the mere shock value of it but it doesn't matter, cheerleading will look good on her transcripts and she'd have kissed the great red devil herself if she thought it'd get her out of Riverdale for college.

"So, Betty dear, do you want to talk about what Cheryl said about your sister?" Veronica asks her, leading her by the hand out of the locker room.

"I'm not sure what there is to talk about. I was gone for the summer and when I came home, Polly was gone, Jason Blossom is missing, and no one is talking. My parents won't say a word, Polly's phone is disconnected, I can't find anything to give me an idea of where she, or they, went."

"Do you think she might have left with one half of the heirs to the throne of the Maple Syrup Mafia?"

"Maple Syrup Mafia?" Betty laughs out. "What?"

"Betty Boo, my girl, maple syrup is just not interesting enough for Cheryl to be that elitist while also probably trying to contain all of her evil with a layer of red lipstick. It's a good cover though if you think about it, who expects the uncomfortably red Blossom family to be deeper than the trees they're tapping?"

"Have you been conspiracy theorizing with Jughead?" Betty questions, "Because I have to say, this sounds very Jugheadian."

"No, no. Jughead wants conspiracies to justify his paranoia of his fellow man so he doesn't have to admit he's mostly an introverted socially awkward penguin-"

"Owl," Betty interrupts, "he'd be an owl if we're going to pick a bird. Nocturnal, observant, solitary."

"Huh, true. Either way, someone that observant usually knows things the rest of us overlook. Have you talked to him about any of this? Does Archie know anything helpful?"

"Jughead, yes. He and I are trying to figure it out, we're going to be nosing around while my mom is out of town this weekend. Archie? Not so much. I know he'd help but he's got football and music and it's really not his thing. If he knew anything he would have already told me."

Veronica looks contemplative as they exit the school and asks, "What do you think happened?"

"I'm not sure. I do know if Polly were truly missing, my parents would have every cop in the state looking for her, it'd be all over the Register, there would be no resting if my mom didn't have some idea of where she is. Which is why she's suspect number one," Betty tells her as they exit the school.

"And Jason Blossom?"

"As far as I know they _were_ dating. There was a couple of bad fights, a breakup or two, but by the time I left for my internship, Polly told me they were happy and in love. I want to believe they're together but I just don't know."

"You'll figure it out, I just know it," Veronica asserts as she spots Smithers in the parking lot, waiting by the car for her. "Let me give you a ride home, it's almost dark."

Betty says thank you as Smithers takes her gym bag from her and opens the car door so she can climb in. Once they're settled in and on the road, Betty suddenly hears, "So, home or Pop's? There's no need to sit through two uncomfortable family dinners when we can comfortably eat burgers instead."

She thinks about it for a few seconds, knowing her mother won't be happy about that, or the cheerleading, and putting it off suddenly sounds much better than dealing with it. "Pop's. Definitely Pop's."

"That's my girl. Smithers! Change of direction," Veronica calls out and sits back in her seat with a satisfied smile. "Should we ask Kevin to join?"

"Sure, I don't see why not."

As Veronica texts Kevin, they're already close to pulling into the parking lot of Pop's. Before Betty can open her door, it's been pulled open and she's surprised by Archie's smiling face.

"Hey! I didn't know you were going to be here."

"Neither did we until we got in the car. Are you going to join us, Archiekins?" Veronica asks him, climbing out of the car after Betty.

"Cool, let's eat. You guys made the Vixens? That's great! Now I can have my own personal cheering section during the games."

"Well I do intend to be an equal opportunity cheerleader but I think I can save an extra little shake or two just for you, Archiekins," Veronica breathes out as she walks by him and into Pop's.

"What's up, Jughead?" Betty asks noticing he hasn't said a word yet. Which is not unusual for him but it's also not like him to not take a shot at anything stereotypically school spirit related.

"Uh, nothing. How are you doing, Betty?"

* * *

Jughead can't feel his tongue. He knew, he just _knew_ deep down when the end came it would be because of Betty Cooper. He had thought it was the end when it was her new bathing suit two summers ago. He had persevered, he made it through, he had thanked the benevolent stars above him that it was a one piece that let him keep breathing instead of a certainly murderous bikini. He's not proud, he's almost self loathing to be so disappointingly basic over something that should probably mean so little but he does feel some amount of comfort in the proof that he is actually human after all.

If the bathing suit didn't kill him and if when little Betty Cooper came to school in filled out sweaters didn't take him out then he's sure that legs that long that look like _that_ coming out of a skirt that short will surely be arrested for homicide by the time the day is done.

There is a chance, he realizes, he's being a touch dramatic.

Jughead is suddenly slammed with the realization that Betty is speaking to him.

"What's up, Jughead?"

"Uh, nothing. How are you doing, Betty?" he coughs out, rubbing the back of his neck and trying to maintain eye contact. Being labeled an objectifying prick isn't really how he wants to get closer to Betty in a non-friend I'd like to put my mouth on your mouth sort of way.

"Not much, Veronica and I were going to get some dinner in celebration and avoidance."

"Ah, yes, the two natural states of being. Makes sense," Jughead tells her as they walk to catch up to Archie and Veronica.

"Hush, Jug. We made the Vixens, obviously, and I don't want to face my mother at another dinner table game of chicken," Betty says with a roll of her eyes. "Who can push the other until one of them cracks first? Find out at The Cooper Family Dinner Table. Not today, no thanks."

By the time they've caught up to the others, they're already seated next to each other and laughing over the menu. He lets Betty slip into the booth first before he follows, grabbing a menu to hand it to her like they haven't memorized it before junior high school.

"Did Kevin text you back?" Betty asks Veronica.

"Not yet, he's so glued to his phone you'd think he'd have seen it already."

"Maybe he's busy," Jughead interjects. "Or maybe he's _busy_ , he and Moose have been circling each other again."

"True. Poor Midge. I feel like someone should tell her but are we sure she doesn't know?" Betty ponders, looking around after having set her menu down.

"I think she and Moose have an understanding of some kind. I don't get it but if it works for them, who are we to judge?" Jughead offers, trying to regulate his breathing after noticing Betty's bare thigh keeps bumping against his jean covered one. He knows it's dumb, he does, it's not like it's unusual or weird but that little part of him that lets Cheerleader Betty make him _oh so happy_ is waking up and he's pretty certain that he's not going to go away now that he has a realistic visual to help him along.

"So, how was Cheryl at tryouts, Betty?" Archie probes, "I know last year she was pretty rough on you."

"If by rough you mean she tried to get everyone to believe she was a reincarnated she-beast from the depths of hell with an agenda harsh enough to make Beatrix Kiddo wince, then yeah, she was rough," Jughead cuts in with a look of disdain coming over his face.

"Beatrix who?" Veronica wants to know.

"The Bride, Kill Bill, revenge, etc," Betty tells her, looking for a waitress. "And she was better than last year but I still only got on the squad because of Veronica but I'll take it."

"This vendetta Cheryl has against you, Betty, is so ridiculous," Veronica tells her, reaching out across the table to take Betty's hand.

"She's just upset about Jason, which I understand," Betty says, "but yeah, she's being...difficult."

"I think it's a bit more than difficult, Betts. I have no proof but I'd bet she's an actual demon," Jughead says with a scoff. "Polly is gone too and you haven't made it your mission in life to suck the souls out of others."

"Jug, man, the things you come up with," Archie laughs out as their waitress finally shows up to take their orders.

"Anyway," Veronica announces as soon as the waitress has taken their orders and leaves, "the point is that Betty and I are River Vixens now, Jughead, so you have to come to the games for the school paper instead of Betty doing it."

"Is that how it is, Betty?" Jughead groans, "This is where our friendship ends? After everything? Even after the time I spent all summer getting into pools and the river first because you had just seen Jaws? I could have died, Betty. And what about the Christmas you insisted you had to cut down your own tree and not only did you drag me around looking for the perfect tree you made me check it for birds so you didn't destroy any nests?"

"Oh my god," Veronica whispers through her giggles. "Baby Betty had to have been the cutest thing ever."

"And let's not forget when I kept putting the worms on your fishing hooks because you were too squeamish-"

"That was Archie, Jug!" Betty exclaims. "I was very brave and threw them into the water when no one was looking and just pretended I kept losing them off the hook."

"Wait, can worms even live in water? Or did you just spend that whole day committing mass wormicide?" Archie asks Betty.

Betty's eyes get bigger than usual like she never thought about it before and a whimper comes out as she says, "Oh no, I'm a murderer." The guilt on her face is so palpable Jughead, Archie, and Veronica can't stop themselves from laughing.

"Fine," Jughead says once he's calmed down, "I'll be at the games for the Blue and Gold but I expect consolatory burgers."

The smile Betty bestows on him makes up for the amount of torment he's going to face at the football games. He almost groans out loud when he realizes he's going to need to have a rudimentary understanding of the rules now. He takes a deep breath and remembers Veronica's first rule: exposure. This is definitely exposure. He'll be closer to Betty and he'll also be exposed to what he's now calling her Legs of Death. He's a little disgusted with himself but he can't stop the desire in that lives in the back of his head that when they _do_ take him out, because he knows they will, it's with his head between them.

He's going to hell for certain for that one, he knows.

* * *

After the burgers are eaten and the milkshakes enjoyed and Jughead offers to walk Betty home, Veronica is watching them disappear through the large Pop's windows. As she's shooting off a text to Betty that she still has her gym bag and she'll drop it off later she's distracted by Archie's voice.

"What? I'm sorry, Archiekins, I was texting Betty."

"I said, do you think Jughead is ever going to make a move on Betty?" Archie asks, throwing Veronica for a loop. "I've been making bets with my dad since we were twelve and I'd like to win one for once."

"You know about Jughead liking Betty?" Veronica questions with surprise.

"Uh, yeah. Pretty obvious don't you think? I know he thinks no one knows but he might as well be wearing a sign that says "I Heart Betty Cooper," Archie tells her with a laugh. "And even if he was good at hiding it, I was there when he walked into a tree at the river the first time she came out of the water in her bathing suit the summer we were fourteen."

"Is that," Veronica starts delicately, "why you've never gone after Betty yourself?" She's not proud of the need to know that but she asks anyway.

"Partly? Maybe? I mean, Betty is beautiful but she's always been like my sister and I would never do that to Jug, he's my brother, you know?"

"Oh Archiekins, never let anyone tell you there's no heart underneath all of that All American Testosterone, okay?"

"Sure, Ronnie," he tells her with a smile and shrug, reaching to finish her fries even if they are cold by now.

"Good, now, let me tell you about my plan to get Jughead to make a move."

"You've got a plan?"

"Of course, you can't leave things like love up to the men! Can you imagine? The human race would probably cease to exist. Jughead just needs highly refined manipulation disguised as gentle guidance," Veronica replies with a smirk. "Jughead is a nice guy wrapped under all of that plaid and denim, too nice actually, which is why I just need to get him to break."

"You're diabolical, Ronnie."

"This will be good for both of them, you'll see. Now, I need to text Kevin and tell him we've got a new recruit in Operation Break the Beanie."

"Please tell me you're not going to try and take that hat from him, it'll never work," Archie implores to her.

"No, I mean, I would _love_ to, but apparently it's untouchable. What it means, Archiekins, is that Jughead pining is entertaining, yes, but Betty deserves to be kissed by a boy that is never not going to be grateful for the privilege."

"I think Jug's your guy then."

* * *

"So, Saturday morning we'll go through your mom's office?" Jughead asks Betty as they walk towards her house.

"That's the plan, yeah. I'm nervous though, Juggie," Betty says with a small sigh. "If I find something then they keep lying to me for reasons I don't know and if I don't find anything then I still don't know where Polly is."

"Betts, we'll find her. We have to, have we ever failed before?" Jughead questions, stopping her with a hand to her shoulder. "I mean, if you don't count the time we tried to hide Archie's Easter eggs from him and then forgot where we put them. The entire month of May smelled terrible that year."

Betty laughs and keeps walking. "I thought my mom was going to have a heart attack for a month, she kept staring at Archie's house like there was some underground chicken farm she could expose for the Register that would finally make the Andrews move away."

"I would have paid to see that."

"Sure, I couldn't open my window until June but it was worth it."

As they reach the bottom of the stairs that lead to her front door he turns to her and asks, "Cheryl wasn't too bad, right? Because I know last year-"

"Really, Jug, it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Besides, I think she was distracted by Veronica kissing me, but I'm on the squad now and that looks good for colleges so-"

"Wait, what? Veronica kissed you?" Jughead inquires with shock on his face. And maybe a little awe but he'll never admit that to anyone.

"Mmhmm. Goodnight Jughead!" Betty calls as she runs up the stairs, her short skirt flouncing around her thighs.

 _I knew Veronica was evil,_ he thinks to himself as he starts to walk towards the Twilight. Not only did she figure him out within minutes, she got him to join in, and on top of it all she kissed Betty before he did.

 _Well played, Lodge._


	6. Chapter 6

"So tell me, Archibald, why haven't you ever said anything to Jughead? Encouraged him? Told him to go for the gold?" Kevin is questioning Archie intently, leaning towards him from the chair he's sitting in in the student lounge. "Now, me, I never did because I know he would have run screaming in the other direction."

"Kev, come on. I've known Jughead for forever, man. If you push him he's just going to go all turtle-y on you and hide."

"Turtle-y, Archiekins? As odd as that is, it's pretty apt," Veronica says, crossing her legs from her place next to Archie on the well worn couch. "Though, honestly, I'm a little worried that Betty is who our actual wild card is. What if she's just not interested?"

"That could be true but-" Kevin starts.

"Nah, guys, look, I know Betty and Jughead, we've all known each other since we were kids and if I thought if it wouldn't work I probably would have said something to him already. They've always been really close, you know? Betty's not looking for his interest because she assumes it's not there and Jughead doesn't say anything because he keeps everything to himself. Especially if he thinks he might lose it," Archie tells them with a serious face.

"My, my Archie, look at you being so insightful. Where does this come from?" Kevin wants to know.

"I've had over ten years of being friends with them, you guys. We've all been through a lot of each other's stuff."

Archie tells them about when he got it for the first time, just how different his relationship with Betty is with than the one she shares with Jughead.

 _It's the start of the summer between fourth and fifth grade and he can't wait to show Jughead his new skateboard. He's only fallen three times since he got it and only needed a band-aid once which, his mom says, is impressive. He thinks so, too._

 _He's supposed to meet Jug in the treehouse after lunch so Jughead can see Archie's new skills but before he's made it all the way up the ladder he hears what sounds like Betty sniffling and trying not to cry._

 _"It's okay, Betty, I promise. It's not-"_

 _"It is, Jug! I ruined it, I'm so sorry," he hears Betty wail._

 _"No, it's fixable, I swear. Remember you always tell me nothing is too broken to be fixed, right? This isn't a big deal."_

 _"But this isn't just anything, Juggie, it's the only one there is!"_

 _"Yeah, but we'll fix it, maybe we can make it better or something. Come on, Betty, you don't need to cry, it's okay."_

 _"It'll always be like its got a scar now," Archie hears Betty whimper out. He can see her face in his head, eyes big and red like the way they always get when she cries._

 _"Hey, scars are cool, Betts. See? You just made it better then," he can hear Jughead try and comfort her. "Things don't need to be perfect."_

 _"Are you sure?"_

 _"Of course! Just look at Archie. There's only one of him and he's a disaster." He can hear Betty start to giggle and he feels better knowing she's not so upset anymore. Archie decides it's okay to interrupt them then as he climbs the rest of the way up the ladder, still eager to show off his skateboard._

 _Archie never says anything when he sees a new red button on Jughead's hat two days later covering up the hole he had seen the day Betty had been crying._

"And?" he hears Veronica ask him, curiosity in her eyes. "What does that mean?"

"It means that we're all best friends and always have been but only one of us is Betty's safety net."

"I can't believe I never saw this before," Kevin breathes out, eyes big and a look of clarity on his face.

"What?"

"He's her beanie," Kevin tells them both. "Where did she go after your party, Veronica?"

"Oh my god, you're right. She went to the Twilight," Veronica agrees as they share a look.

"Wait, why would she go to Jug after the party? She was upset?" Archie wants to know. "Why?"

Kevin and Veronica look at each other and with silent agreement they both say, "Cheryl."

Whatever Archie has to say after that is interrupted by Jughead and Betty walking into the student lounge to join them.

* * *

"What's up, guys?" Jughead asks as he and Betty take the available seats on the sofa.

"Nothing," he hears three voices say at the same time.

"That's, uh, not suspicious sounding at all but alright," he responds. He's debating questioning them further when he hears Chuck Clayton talking to Veronica about a date that night. It's a terrible idea but he doesn't need to say anything since he can hear Betty already is.

"V, are you sure? He's not known for being the best guy," Betty tells her.

He tunes the rest of the conversation out, he's thinking about the article he's working on for the paper and the inevitable barrage of red pen edits he's going to get from Betty after she gets her hands on it.

"Right, Jug?"

"What?" he asks looking for the source of the question. "I didn't hear you, what'd you say?"

"I said, we need to stay late for the paper tonight so we can't do any Netflix binging with Kevin," Betty answers him.

"Oh. Yeah. Can't wait for my lecture in red on my overuse of semicolons," Jughead says to her with a roll of his eyes.

"Your liberal overuse of them, Jughead, makes me think you use them even in your thoughts."

"I do. How else when my brain know when to pause?"

" _Please tell me this isn't your version of flirting?"_ he hears Veronica whisper to him. He hopes Betty didn't hear that one and by her distraction of digging through the stack of papers in her hand he doesn't think she did.

He sighs and shakes his head and pretends he didn't hear her. Based on the look on her face he thinks that was a bad idea.

"So, Jughead. What's the red button on your hat about?" she asks him. He's a little taken aback by the question. It's out of place and weird and no one has ever asked him before, not even Archie. Only he and Betty know the story and can't imagine why anyone else would even care.

 _He finds Betty sitting by the bottom of the tree that their treehouse is built on with her hands in fists and an angry look on her face._

 _"What's wrong?" he asks her, sitting cross legged in front of her in the dirt._

 _"It's nothing, Jug."_

 _"You're the worst liar, you know," he tells her._

 _"Says you."_

 _"Uh, Betts, says everyone. Remember when Archie and I were messing around in class and I tripped and knocked over the fish tank? And you tried to take the blame even though I was on the ground in the middle of all the water?"_

 _"You're the one who saved Mr. Flippers! It was totally unfair to make you sit out lunch just because you tripped."_

 _"Okay. How about when Archie and I ate all of the cookies your mom made for Polly's class? You told your mom you ate them all. She definitely didn't believe you."_

 _"That's just because you and Archie had chocolate all over your faces."_

 _"The evidence was against us, Betty. You're a better Nancy Drew than a criminal, you know that," he says to her, waiting for her to spill what's really wrong._

 _"Jug, she just wants me to be perfect. I'm not and she hates it."_

 _"Hey, we can put salt in all of her shoes? That would be awful to step on. Or we could move all of the pictures in your house an inch to the left. I think that would actually send her screaming."_

 _Betty's laughing by the time he's done talking and he starts laughing with her. Her smile falls off her face as she says, "Sometimes she just makes it so loud in my head, Juggie."_

 _He sighs as he gets up to sit next to go sit next to her, nudging her shoulder as he settles himself down and nods his head telling her, "Yeah, I know." He takes off his hat and sets it on her head. "Here, my dad always says this hat must be the reason I don't listen to him, maybe it can keep other stuff quiet too."_

 _"I think you just don't like to listen, Jughead," Betty replies, but she's smiling again. "And it covers your ears, you know."_

 _"You have no case with no evidence, Cooper."_

 _"Shut up, Jug."_

 _It's a couple of days after she ended up catching his hat on a nail in the treehouse, ripping it a little, that she shows up with a red button in her hand and a small sewing kit she borrowed from Mrs. Andrews with a smile._

 _"Where did you get that?"_

 _"I stole it from one of my mom's shirts and when she asked me if I had anything to do with it I told her I had no idea what she was talking about and she believed me!" Betty exclaims, jumping a little in excitement. "I thought we could fix your hat with it."_

 _"Sure," he agrees with her and sit with her as she carefully sews on the button, making sure she closes the entire tear._

"You, Veronica Lodge, care way too much about my wardrobe," he answers her. There's nothing significant she needs to know about that story, if anything, it's private because it was Betty upset, not him, and he's not sharing her secrets.

"It was part of the _Great Button Heist_ of 2011, V," Betty says to Veronica. She doesn't say anything else, just smiles at him as everyone gets up to head to their first class of the day.

* * *

She's trying to calm Veronica down the next day after her finding out Chuck Clayton put on social media he had given her a "Sticky Maple." She's justified in her anger for sure but she doesn't want to end up in the boys locker rooms yelling at guys she knows won't even care.

They'll be entertained, probably.

As she's listening to Veronica's tirade, she can feel Jughead's presence behind her. She relaxes a little and hopes he can help her put out the fire that is Veronica Lodge, justified or not.

"What's going on?" he asks her.

"Chuck Clayton did what he does best."

"Ah, the Sticky Maple thing. Yeah, he's a dick."

"This isn't helping, Jughead!" Veronica yells at him. "I want revenge and I'm going to get it. I didn't do this and if he won't tell the truth, I'll _make_ him."

"Veronica, he's never going to tell the truth, he's a dick. It's what he does," Jughead tells her, getting a look from Betty that implied that wasn't helping at all. "But what he did do was give you all the power."

"What? How?"

"You control the entire narrative now."

"And you figure this how exactly?"

"Look, if you say you didn't do it, no one believes you. If you get him to say it, no one will believe you because they assume you made him do it for your reputation. But, if you let people think what they were going to think anyway, you control the experience. Maybe you honestly forgot it happened because it was over so quickly. Maybe you didn't want to say anything because it's rude to admit that size does matter and Chuck's just doesn't measure up," Jughead explains to both her and Veronica.

She's laughing and leaning on him while Veronica looks intrigued and angry.

"No one is going to remember what he said you did when all they're going to remember is that Chuck sucks at what he was bragging about."

"You've given me a lot to think about, Jughead. I need caffeine and a plan. I'll see you both later," she says as she stalks off down the hallway ignoring the stares of the other students.

By lunchtime she's heard multiple stories from multiple sources about the varying degrees of Chuck's inadequacy. And Veronica Lodge is from the city. She would know, right? By the time she sees Chuck's smug face again, it's not so smug and looks downright pissed off. She's sitting with Veronica, Jug, and Archie at lunch when Chuck approaches Veronica angrily.

"Why are you lying?" he demands.

"Lying about what? I just think if we were going to have story time, every available edition should be an option. People do so like to have choices, don't you think?" Veronica answers him with a predatory grin.

"You need to tell people the truth, Veronica!" Chuck growls at her.

"Oh, but Chuckiekins, it seems both of our memories of last night are hazy. I can't possibly be sure what really happened when you keep telling a different version of events. I mean, maybe, if say, some jackass who lied then tried to slut shame me was honest about how it really went down started telling the truth then I might reconsider what happened."

"So, if I tell people nothing happened, you'll fix this?"

"Sure, why not? Honesty is the best policy, right?" she responds with a lift of her eyebrow and a serious look at him.

"Fine, Veronica. Nothing happened last night," he says to her with a hard look on his face before he walks away.

"You, Jughead, are a genius," Betty tells him, sliding the rest of her lunch his way.

"Do you think he's going to figure out no one is going to believe him no matter what?" Jughead asks her, grabbing the chips she offered and taking a handful.

"Nope. How upsetting that will be, I'm so sad for him," Veronica says facetiously.

"So, tomorrow is the big day, Betts," Jughead remarks, "are you ready for it?"

Betty's shoulders drop with as she huffs out a breath. "No, not really. I need to know though, Jug. I can't think of anything that justifies anything they did if they sent Polly away."

It's weighing heavily on her mind and has been since she stopped hearing from Polly at the beginning of the summer. Two people don't just disappear for no reason, especially when they were dating and had no reason Betty can think of to run. No one is talking, not her parents, not the Blossom's, not the Sheriff. It's as if the town wants them to forget it all and move on.

There is something deeper going on and she isn't going to stop until she knows everything.


	7. Chapter 7

Betty's sitting next to him in the projection booth at the Twilight hours after they'd gone through her mom's office. Not knowing what to say isn't something he often experiences with Betty but this time, he's at a loss for words. She's got her head laying on his shoulder, staring blankly at the movie playing, looking sadder than he's ever seen her. If he could go back and stop her from finding what she did, he might. Wanting to know the truth and knowing the truth are two very separate and distinctive things and he wishes he could fix this one.

He can't. Not this time.

 _"So, I thought we'd start in my mom's office. If we find nothing there, there might be papers at the Register, I can probably come up with an excuse to get into her office there," Betty tells him, handing him a plate full of pancakes._

 _"Were you stress cooking again, Betty?"_

 _"Don't act like you're not grateful, Jug, it doesn't suit you," she says with a roll of her eyes._

 _Pouring syrup over the stack he's about to eat he responds, "Never let it be said I'm ungrateful about food. I am the most grateful. The greatest of gratefuls. I bow down to the possible annihilation of Betty Cooper's psyche so as long as there is food involved."_

 _"You know, I'd bet your first words were sarcastic. For your information though, I really just wanted pancakes. Mom can't judge my choices if she can't see them."_

 _"Betts-"_

 _"And also, the stress baking was for the banana bread I made for you. It's in the kitchen," she says with a shrug. "Don't look so smug or I won't give it to you."_

 _"Does it have blueberries and the cinnamon sugar topping?"_

 _"Of course, is there any other kind?"_

 _"Then consider my smugness gone. Who is smug? I don't know her," Jughead replies, eyes drifting over to the kitchen where he can see his prize sitting on the counter._

He's trying to let her talk in her own time while he sits there, not knowing what to do other than let her be. As much as he's used to parents letting you down, especially with his mom leaving and taking Jellybean over the summer, he didn't think Betty's would be even worse than his own mom and dad.

 _"I'll start with the desk, can you look through the filing cabinet?" she asks him, "Try to keep everything where it goes, because my mom will notice if we don't."_

 _"Sure thing," he tells her as he heads to the cabinet. At least it's organized he thinks, starting with the files marked A._

 _They spend at least twenty minutes in silence, reading over every paper they can find, making sure to keep everything in order. So far he's found banking information, tax information, mortgage information, but nothing Polly related aside from her birth certificate._

 _"Hey, did you know you have a college fund? I bet even if I had one it'd be a broken piggy bank with, like, five IOU's in it from my dad," Jughead jokes as he turns around and sees her sitting still with an open locked box and a devastated look on her face."Betty?"_

 _"She wrote me letters, Jug. They're from some place called Sisters of Quiet Mercy. They sent her away, lied to me, then hid the letters she's been writing! What if she thinks I'm glad she's gone? Why would they send her away?" Betty rants at him. "She's been there since the beginning of summer! They've been lying to me for months. Months, Jughead!"_

 _"Are you going to read the letters?" he asks her, walking around to the desk to look at what's in her hands._

 _"I can't. If I open them my parents will know for sure so I don't know what to do, I don't want to tip them off before I know everything."_

 _"What's the postmark on the last letter?"_

 _"A few weeks ago, they stop after that."_

The movie is almost over by the time she speaks again.

"We need to go visit this Sisters of Quiet Mercy place. It looks awful, Jug. Like a prison-convent-haunted horror house combination. Home for troubled youths? What could Polly have even _done_ to make them send her there?"

"So, if Polly was sent away by your parents, where is Jason Blossom?" Jughead questions, not knowing where or how all of the pieces connect.

"We need to talk to Polly," Betty answers, "I need to see her, Juggie."

"Then that's what we'll do."

* * *

She's made so many muffins and breads and cupcakes she's glad she's not a stress eater on top of all the baking she's doing to calm down. She ended up at Archie's front door the next day with more muffins than is probably socially acceptable. According to Jughead, who was there at the time, _there are no social limits on the amounts of muffins one can receive, Betty_. Not that his opinion on food should be trusted. She's almost certain she's seen him put sugar on top of ice cream once.

They haven't told anyone their plans to find Polly yet. The buses don't run on Sundays so they need to skip school to get there and hope no one finds out. She's not sure how they're going to do that but they'll figure it out, they always do.

Currently she's got a bigger problem she's upset she didn't catch on to before. Sitting next to Jughead at their lunch table she scoots as close as she can get and whispers, "When were you going to tell me you're staying at the Twilight?" She hadn't said anything but she had seen some of his things she knows he usually keeps at home in the projection booth the day she found Polly's letters.

Jughead pales and leans away from her but she catches his hand and pulls him back. He's looking between her and Archie, clearly panicking.

"I'm not going to tell him, Jug, you didn't even want me to know, but Juggie, it's going to get cold soon and that room has no insulation."

"Things are...not good at home with my dad. You know how my mom took Jellybean to Ohio over the summer?" he asks her in a low voice.

"Yeah, they're not back yet? I thought Jellybean was in school at Riverdale Elementary."

"It wasn't a visit, Betty. She moved and took Jellybean with her," he says, the hurt in his voice clear.

"Oh my god, Jug, I'm sorry. Your dad drinking again?"

"Yeah. Enough for me to not want to go home so I haven't been home since the beginning of the summer. I don't know what he's up to but I know it's not good-"

"What are you guys talking about?" Archie interrupts, still eating his lunch and looking morose next to a quiet Val.

"Security clearance level Blue and Gold, Arch. No can share at the moment," Jughead responds quickly.

"Hey, don't you have the variety show coming up?" Betty asks, distracting Archie, seeing Veronica and Kevin approach.

"Yes, he does," Veronica interjects, sitting next to Archie. "Kevin was nicely reminded he's heard you sing-"

"Numerous times," Kevin starts.

"So you have a spot open if you want it," Veronica continues with a glare at Kevin.

"Who needs artistic integrity?" Kevin complains to himself, starting to eat his lunch.

Betty is watching the by-play of Veronica offering to sing with Archie while Kevin looks disgruntled and Val looking sad and she doesn't think she has the energy to get into the middle of all of it. She turns back to Jughead and says, "I think we should go on Friday, if we leave at lunch we can catch the afternoon bus."

"Sounds good to me. You're sure the school isn't going to call your mom?"

"Not if I tell Principal Weatherbee I need to spend that afternoon working on the Homecoming dance committee in the Blue and Gold office," she tells him.

"Look at you sneaking around using people's expectations of you against them. I like it," he declares with a smile.

"What are you two looking so shifty about over there?" Veronica wants to know. She's got her eyebrow raised and is staring at Jughead like he'll fold and confess his deepest secrets by her willpower alone. If she weren't so worried about Polly and Jughead's living situation she'd be incredibly amused. They're both so stubborn if they ever end up butting heads she thinks both their skulls will end up cracked before either give in.

"They're playing Nancy Drew and keeping it to themselves, Ronnie," Archie pipes up.

"That's right, Veronica. Very important, very hush hush, on a need to know basis and since even I barely need to know I'm going to have to go ahead and ignore your question," Jughead tells her, getting up and grabbing the rest of his lunch while waiting for Betty to do the same.

"Hmm, detectives you say? I'm intrigued, B. I want to know more later," Veronica remarks with a smile at her.

As they're walking away she can swear she hears Kevin say, "If only they were playing Doctor instead."

Betty thinks she heard that wrong but by the choking sound Jughead lets out she thinks she heard it right. _This year is shaping up to be an odd one,_ she thinks as they head into the school.

* * *

If he can think of one person who doesn't deserve the punches they keep getting, he would pick Betty. Every time she thinks she's got something figured out, it blows up in her face through no fault of her own.

Their trip to Sisters of Quiet Mercy had been a bust. They spent so much time planning and getting there that in the end when it didn't even matter, Betty spent the whole bus ride back crying into his shoulder. Again.

" _Are you ready?" Betty asks, adjusting her bag with a determined look on her face as they snuck off of the school's campus to make their way to the bus station._

 _"I am, let's do this."_

 _The bus ride there had been tedious and anxiety ridden as she fidgeted and curled her hands into herself, letting him stop her before she broke skin each time. He had caught her doing it their Freshman year when the pressure of being in high school with a new set of expectations and harder classes had finally caused her to need an outlet. It was also the time her mom started pushing ADHD meds on her. Meds she's refused to take so far, she's said she gets rid of them in a different way each week so her mom doesn't catch on._

 _They had been in the library and she had been staring straight ahead looking angry and when he finally caught her attention she'd put her hand on the paper she was working on and he had seen blood smeared on it._

 _"Betty? Are you okay?"_

 _"What?" she replies, grabbing the paper and pulling it off the table. "I'm fine, Jug."_

 _"You're bleeding, did you cut yourself?"_

 _"It's fine."_

 _He grabs her hand expecting some sort of morbid paper cut but he sees four nail punctures and he's horrified she's done something like that to herself. The amount of pressure alone it would take to pierce your own skin is immense. "This is probably the very definition of not fine, Betty. What's going on?"_

 _She pulls her hand back, looking ashamed. "I don't even know, sometimes I don't even know I've done it until it's happened."_

 _"Have you told your parents? Or Archie? Kevin, maybe?"_

 _"Of course not, you're the first person to know. Or see it, probably. If my mom's seen it she's ignoring it which is what I would expect from her."_

 _"Come on, let's get them cleaned up," he tells her, leading her out of the library while making sure she's not curling her hands back up._

 _He doesn't bring it up after, he knows she'd just make more of an effort to pretend it's not a problem so he just slips whatever's available into her hand when he sees her start to do it. Pens, pencils, a chapstick, even a gummy worm once. That one had made her laugh at least. If nothing else is available he'll use his own hand to make her stop. She never says anything but she always squeezes his hand and he knows it's gratitude._

He's standing there, not knowing what to do while knowing doing nothing isn't an option. They hit another dead end but neither are ready to give up. A new plan, a new direction. It's not one either want to take but they can't think of anyone else that might have any information and the adults in their lives aren't doing much else besides lying.

 _They're in the lobby of the freaky prison like hospital. Home for troubled youths or terrifying asylum of evil? He knows which description he'd pick. Betty had tightened her ponytail, stood with steel in her spine and marched up to the desk asking for Polly Cooper._

 _"And who are you?" the woman at the desk asks with disapproval on her face._

 _"Elizabeth Cooper, I'm her sister."_

 _"Well, Elizabeth Cooper, I'd think you'd know better where Polly is than we do. She disappeared weeks ago in the middle of the night."_

 _"What?!" Betty cries out, looking at him with disbelieving eyes._

 _"We informed your parents, dear. It's not our problem if they don't inform you. So sorry I couldn't help you," she tells them, a clear dismissal._

 _"Come on, Betts, let's make sure we don't miss the bus back, okay?" Jughead murmurs to her, leading her out by her elbow. Her face is pale and her eyes are watering. She looks so broken again, the way she did after she found a pile of letters she couldn't even read without being found out._

She had been mostly silent between crying the whole way back. He tried to offer her platitudes he knew weren't going to work. He kept telling her they'd find the answer, that a set back wasn't failure. Jughead isn't sure she heard any of it but the minute they stepped off the bus, back at Riverdale, she looked at him and said, "We need to talk to Cheryl."

Part of him knew that was coming. He's hoping it'll be painless but it's also Cheryl so his hopes for not needing to partake in some sort of ritual sacrifice are lower than one would expect. He thinks they have too much going on for being in high school. At this rate they're going to be leading revolutions by college.

He's exhausted just thinking about it.

Worried about Betty, he's standing there thinking the best way to approach this, Alice Cooper had been one pissed off woman when they had gotten back.

 _He's walking her home and she's got her hand in the crook of his elbow, talking about strategy to approach Cheryl when she sees her mom standing at the top of the stairs outside of the front of their house, looking furious._

 _"Mom?" Betty says apprehensively, coming to a stop, tightening her hold on him._

 _"Elizabeth Cooper, I want you in this house now!" her mom demands, turning and going through the front door._

 _"Oh god, Jug. This is not going to be good," Betty utters forlornly._

 _"No it's not. Just remember that they've been lying to you, okay? She can yell at you but she's not going to kill you over this. Most likely," he tells her, putting a hand on her neck to keep her steady. "The worst she can do is ground you and give you the silent treatment with looks of disappointment."_

 _"That's true. Alright, I'm going in. If you don't see or hear from me within twenty-four hours, assume that fire breathing dragon theory you've had since fifth grade to be confirmed and wipe my hard drive, okay?"_

 _"You got it, Betts."_

And he hasn't heard from her in twenty three hours so he's not taking any chances. He's a little more worried than he's letting on, he almost asked Archie if he'd seen her but he can't ask without giving Archie some of the info he's not sure she wants shared right now.

* * *

Betty's sitting at her vanity, thinking about her parents lies, her missing sister, her plans with Jughead and confronting Cheryl as soon as possible when she hears a knock on her window.

When she looks over she sees Jughead outside and smiles in confusion. She had been joking about the twenty four hour thing she told him the day before. Mostly. Her mom had yelled at her for what felt like hours but in the end she ended up with the exact same information she had started with.

As she shoves the window up her smile gets bigger as he looks up and says, "Hey there, Juliet."


	8. Chapter 8

**Monday Afternoon **

"Am I hearing you correctly? You found out where your parents sent Polly, ditched school to go see her only to find out she's run away from that place?" Veronica summarizes, perplexed. "And then your parents found out because the scary asylum nuns called your mom to tell her you were there. Sound about right?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

"Bettykins, I adore every part of your blonde head but your family makes my riches to rags, dad's in jail, mom working at Pop's tale of woe much more grounded in reality," Veronica says, giving Betty a sympathetic look. "Just think of the titles we could come up with for our memoirs."

"I think Kevin's should be _Drama Is An Aphrodisiac, The Kevin Keller Story_ ," Jughead tells them, sitting next to Betty on a sofa in the student lounge. Veronica, Archie, and Betty all laugh as Kevin gives him a very clear _s_ _hots fired_ look.

"And what would yours be, Jughead? _Betty, Burgers, and Beanies, A Tale of the Boy Who Loved Them_?" Kevin responds, looking incredibly self satisfied.

"Oh my god, this is amazing," Veronica insists, scooting closer to the edge of the chair she's sitting on. If he was looking he would see Betty turning bright pink but he can't because he's too busy trying to figure out how to instantaneously dissolve into the floor.

Physics and their limits are now his enemy.

"I think Archie's should be _So Many Girls, So Little Time_ ," Betty says, ignoring the previous statements. Thank god for Betty Cooper. "And you, Veronica? What would yours be?"

"Hmm, _Pearls of Wisdom, The Veronica Lodge Experience_ ," she finally responds, looking satisfied with herself.

"I like it, Ronnie, I'd totally buy your book," Archie tells her, leaning back further into the sofa he was sharing with Kevin. "What about you, Betty?"

Betty looks at him and shrugs. "I assume _T_ _he Crazy Coopers_ wouldn't sell too many books so I don't know."

"It actually sounds like a terrible TV show, Betty," Kevin says, looking unapologetic.

"You're still mad we missed the Variety Show, aren't you?" Jughead asks him, "You're coming off a little more petty than usual, Kev."

Kevin just stares at him with a blank face. "Not only did you two miss the show I poured my soul into, I lost the pool because of you, Jughead Jones. The Third. Or if you want to get technical, Forsy-"

"Hey! None of that now, there's no need for that level of aggression."

"That's cold, Kevin," Archie adds. "Bringing the full name into it like that."

"You should be mad too! Why aren't you mad they missed your performance?" Kevin questions.

"Because, Kev, Archiekins is good like that," Veronica offers. "When he's not being a Ginger Judas that is."

Archie sighs, accepting his fate for the moment. "I'm sorry, Ronnie. I didn't think any of that through."

Jughead sees Betty staring straight ahead at nothing, not listening to the conversation. "Are you okay?" he asks, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, relaxing when she puts one of her hands on his.

Veronica's eyes are quick and satisfied as she ignores the move to talk to Betty. "Did you find anything out from Cheryl over the weekend?"

"No," Betty replies in a sad tone, "She was less helpful than usual which makes me suspicious but until I can prove something, I have nothing to go on."

"Do you think she was lying to you or she really doesn't know what's going on? I can't tell if her anger is a natural state of being or if it's about her brother," Veronica says with a cringe. "I don't know her but I know her kind and it seems like she's wearing her anger like armor."

"Cheryl has never been nice, let's make that clear, but she's been more vicious over the last year than I've ever seen her," Jughead states with a shake of his head, letting his arm drop from around Betty. "Something is definitely going on, we just need to find out what it is."

"Yeah, well, good luck with that," Kevin scoffs.

"What pool?" Betty whispers to Jughead, looking confused.

"I honestly have no idea."

* * *

 _ **Saturday Evening**_

Cheryl wasn't at the Variety Show, they had run through and while her minions were there, she was missing. They hear the end of Archie's song as they're looking for her and they both stop to listen for a minute. It's the song they couldn't get away from the entire time he was writing it and there's only so many times you can hear something before you snap so they continue looking for Cheryl in the name of their own sanity.

Out of the auditorium and in the hall, Betty looks at him with resignation. "We're going to have to go to Thornhill, aren't we?"

"God, I hope not but probably, yeah."

They end up at Thornhill an hour later, both slowing down with apprehension. Knocking on the door, they're both surprised when Cheryl herself answers.

"You can't possibly have a good enough reason to be here but what can I do for you?" She doesn't move to invite them in, she steps out of the door and pulls it closed behind her.

"I've been looking for Polly, Cheryl, since I got back this summer. I know where she was but not where she is, did Jason say anything before he left? Did Polly tell you anything? My parents won't tell me anything and you're the only person I can think of that would know."

"Sorry, Betty. Jason leaving had nothing to do with Polly and if I were willing to divulge what I know about him, which I'm not, I still wouldn't tell you."

"Cheryl!" Jughead shouts, irritated.

"Be quiet, it's bad enough you brought your air of destitution on my property, I won't have you raising your voice to me," Cheryl tells him, a bored look on her face.

"Cheryl, I just really need to find Polly, okay? If you think of anything or see anything or hear anything, please let me know." Betty turns to leave, shoulders drooping and a defeated look on her face.

"I won't but if it helps you sleep at night we can pretend I agreed, Betty."

As they leave the only thing Jughead can think to say is, "Was it just me or did you feel the icy grip of death there as well?"

* * *

 **Monday Morning**

As Betty walks into the Blue and Gold office she sees Veronica sitting at one of the desks, looking fairly satisfied. "Good morning, B."

"Good morning, V. Can I help you?"

Betty pauses when Veronica just stares at her. Confused, she just stares back. "What?"

"I'm thinking."

Taking a seat at the desk Veronica is at she asks, "About?"

"As your new BFF, your new female BFF mind you, I've been waiting for you to spill and yet, you've given me radio silence. I am not Archie or Jughead or Kevin, who god love him, would tell everyone you know. This is Veronica Lodge, who knows the value of a well kept secret."

Veronica's intensity is making Betty nervous. Like she knows things. She sighs and slumps into her chair. "Do you already have spies in Riverdale, V?"

"No, but that's a good idea, remind me to write that down," Veronica tells her, leaning back and crossing her arms with a pointed look.

"I feel like you know something and you're waiting to see if I tell you the truth. It's very Alice Cooper of you, to be honest."

Insulted, Veronica sits up. "Rude! And for your information, I do know something but it came second hand and I need to verify the results of something."

"What do you know?" Betty questions. Then she sighs with relief as the bell for first period saves her.

"This isn't the end of this, Betty."

* * *

 _ **Saturday Afternoon**_

 _Archie is doing last minute preparations for his performance when he's distracted by the sight of Jughead climbing a ladder up to Betty's window._

 _That's a new development, he thinks. He's been patient with Jughead but he had been considering locking them into a closet by Christmas if he was still watching his best friend pine for his other best friend._

 _He knows Veronica is still mad at him over the Variety Show, as she has a right to be, but he texts her anyway. **The eagle has landed.**_

 _ **Pics or it didn't happen** is the response he gets almost immediately. Sighing he looks over at Betty and Jughead standing in the middle of her room talking. She looks upset and he's obviously trying to comfort her._

 _He feels a little dirty taking a picture of them but Veronica's wrath has him complying before he really thinks it through._

 _ **OMG, the basquiat has really landed!** Is what Veronica sends back._

 _He texts back a quick, **Ronnie, don't make me google things**_

 _Veronica responds one last time with a **It's a crown, Archiekins, besides Betty and I agreed Jughead is an owl. So I guess the owl has landed. I'll see you at the show even though I'm still mad at you**_

 _He looks over at Betty's window once last time before leaving his room and can't stop the smile that comes over his face._

 _That owl has certainly landed._

* * *

 **Monday Morning**

"So, Jughead. Want to share with the class what you did over the weekend?" Kevin inquires with an amused look.

"Not really, no."

"Are you sure, Jug?" Archie throws in, a smirk on his face.

"Yup," he tells them. "Nothing to share."

He's suspicious and paranoid but he can't tell how much of that is something he has the right to be worked up over and what's his regular amount of societal distaste coming through.

Archie looks satisfied and Kevin looks disgruntled but he keeps his mouth shut long enough for Kevin to get impatient and takes off in what he would describe as a flounce but would never ever say that to Kevin's face.

"What's up, man?" Jughead wants to know.

Archie leans back into the chair he's sitting in and tells him, "Jug, I know we've never talked about it, but if you want to be with Betty, you should just be with her, you know?"

Jughead chokes on the air he sucked in at that and coughs out, "Uh, yeah. I'll take that into consideration, Arch."

It takes him about ten seconds of looking at each other uncomfortably before they both take off and head in different directions as the bell rings for first period.

* * *

 _ **Sunday Morning**_

 _Veronica is sitting in a booth at Pop's waiting for Archie and Kevin, stirring sugar into her coffee._

 _When Archie arrives and sits down she tells him she's already ordered for him and Kevin, sliding another cup of coffee his way as Kevin comes in to join them as well._

 _"So, Archiekins, tell me what you know."_

 _"I saw him climb into her window, she was definitely upset about something and he was talking to her. They were standing close, though. Real close."_

 _"Was he doing that thing where he pretends he's not going to touch her then he can't help himself and his hands end up somewhere above her shoulders? Because as awkward as it is, I find it adorable," Kevin interjects, taking a drink of the coffee Veronica ordered for him._

 _"You know, yeah. He was. And that's not all…"_

* * *

 **Monday Afternoon**

"A betting pool, Betty," Kevin tells her.

"I know what a betting pool is, Kev. But for what?" Betty wants to know.

Veronica spears another piece of the fruit she was eating with her fork. "For you and Riverdale's very own Holden Caulfield sitting next to you."

"I feel like I'm the only person who has no idea what's going on. Do you know, Jug?" Betty turns and looks at him, confused. She's so distracted she's not put it together yet but he thinks he understands what's happened.

Archie saw it.

He told Veronica.

Who told Kevin.

And now they're all acting like vultures.

 _Worth it_ , he thinks.

* * *

 _ **Saturday Afternoon (Betty Cooper's bedroom)**_

 _"Hey there, Juliet," he says to her as she opens the window with a confused smile. "Nurse off duty? You haven't gone full Yellow Wallpaper on me yet, have you?"_

 _She laughs lightly at him. "They're crazy, Jug. I think my parents are crazy."_

 _"They're parents, they're all crazy."_

 _"They just kept lying to me. I don't even know if they know where Polly is, if they do, then they are purposefully keeping me from my sister, which is ridiculous. If they don't then they're totally delusional! But, Jug, what if it's me? What if I'm the delusional one?"_

 _"Betts, you're not. They're gaslighting you, alright? You're not delusional or crazy, there is nothing wrong with you," he tells her, settling a hand on her shoulder. "They must be hiding something, there's no other reason."_

 _"I know you're right, logically, but everyone is acting like everything is normal! It's not. Polly is missing. Jason Blossom is also missing. My sister was committed to some creepy home for troubled youth. Troubled youth? Polly? That doesn't even make sense."_

 _"What if I'm next, Juggie? What happens when I do something they don't like and it finally makes them send me away? What if I go crazy, too?" Betty pleads, "I don't want to end up like my parents, acting like everything is okay when I know it's not."_

 _"We're not our parents, Betty. We don't have to turn into them," Jughead assures her, "Also-"_

 _He stops and thinks he almost did something stupid. Is it ever really right to confess your feelings for someone when they're upset? Or confused? He doesn't think so but he also thinks he's going to explode if he doesn't. Veronica's plan be damned, there's too many steps and he's waited for so long._

 _He's definitely about to do something stupid._

 _"What?" Betty asks, and he can see her eyes flicker to his lips and back to his eyes. That's fairly encouraging though it doesn't make him move or say anything._

 _"What?" she repeats with a small laugh and smile._

 _He doesn't hesitate again before he reaches for her with both hands, putting them on either side of her jaw and presses his lips to hers. They're the sort of soft that make you rethink your definition of the word and they taste like the sweet cherry of her chapstick. He can feel her lips press back to his and his world spins a little faster._

 _It lasts only a moment longer before she pulls back a little but he can see she's happy about what just happened. He lets out a sigh of relief. He can't believe he did it, he kissed Betty Cooper._

 _It's the smartest thing he's ever done._

* * *

 **Monday Afternoon**

"So, who won?" Jughead asks, everyone knows now, so there's no point in acting like it didn't happen.

"Actually, my dad if you can believe it," Archie tells him, laughing.

He can see Betty's wheels turning as she looks from him to Archie to Veronica to Kevin. "You saw, didn't you, Archie?"

"Yup, totally saw it," Archie responds.

"And V, Arch told you, I assume. You must have told Kevin. And you were betting on something happening? Is that right?"

"All true, B. I refuse to apologize, by the way, this is a _good_ thing," Veronica insists, leaning forward to take Betty's hand in hers. "Isn't it?"

Betty's looking around and he knows he must be blushing. "It is, V. It really is." She takes his hand into her free one and squeezes it. "So, how much money did he win, Arch?"


	9. Chapter 9

Jughead's move into a school closet under some stairs was a private one. He knew he was worrying Betty by ignoring the fact that he was voluntarily homeless for the moment but he had no desires to be at home with a drunken father and the reminder that his mom took his little sister and ran off. Without him.

While he hates getting up earlier than he ever has before, he does like having access to a shower daily. That particular morning he sees his phone blowing up with texts and missed calls from Betty, one after the other, getting more insistent with each one.

 _Are you okay?_

 _Call me_

 _Where are you?_

 _Jughead, I need you to text me back!_

He has no idea why she's upset but he immediately texts her a quick _I'm fine, what's going on?_ and gets a phone call full of worried Betty less than a minute later.

 _"Oh my god, Jug, you're okay, right?"_

"Uh, yeah, I'm fine. What's up?"

 _"The Twilight, Jug. It burnt down last night! I didn't find out until my mom told me this morning and I assume I'm the only one who knew that's where you were staying? I almost told Archie, you had me so worried."_

He feels like someone took all of the air out of the room and turned it sideways. "The Twilight?" he whispers to her. "It's gone?"

 _"It's gone, Juggie. I'm so sorry."_

"Do they know what happened? Was it an accident?"

 _"They don't know yet, Kevin told me he overheard his dad saying it looks suspicious but that's all I know so far."_

The feeling that someone had taken his childhood and burnt it to the ground keeps him silent, trying to figure out what to do, who could have done, who would have done it, why would anyone do it.

 _"Jug?"_

"Yeah, sorry, Betty, I'm here."

" _Where are you? You weren't at the Twilight, right?"_

"No, look, can we talk about this when you get to school?"

 _"Sure, I'll see you later, Jug."_

He finishes getting ready for the day, trying not to think about losing his favorite place and his income while trying to figure out who would want to burn the Twilight down. With no idea about the _why_ he has nowhere to go on the who and it's frustrating him. He's in the middle of making a crime board in the Blue and Gold office when he sees Betty rushing towards him out of the corner of his eye.

She throws herself in his arms while telling him how worried she had been, she had thought he was still staying there, he would have told her if he had moved back home, right? The guilt of keeping where he was staying from her settles into him and he's avoiding her eyes while she's trying to talk to him.

"Jughead?"

"I haven't been staying at the Twilight for a few days now, I've been here."

"At the school? Where?"

He takes her by the hand to show her the closet he's been sleeping in and he can't stand the sight of her eyes watering in sympathy for him. It's why he didn't tell her in the first place.

"Look, Betty, it's not a big deal, it's temporary, I'll be fine," he tells her earnestly, rubbing the back of his neck and staring at the ground.

"Juggie, why didn't you tell me? I could have brought you blankets or food or pillows or-"

"Hey, it's fine," he interrupts her tirade with a hand to her cheek. "I know you would have done all of those things but I don't want to be one of your projects."

"You're not a project, you're my boyfriend! And friend. How would you react if I were the one sleeping in a closet? Or Archie? There's no need to punish yourself for problems you can't control!" she cries out, tears starting to escape her eyes.

"Okay, okay, you're right, I'm sorry," he murmurs into her hair after pulling her into his arms again. "Now we need to figure out who burned the Twilight down."

"I don't even know who would want to," she tells him as they head back to the Blue and Gold. When they enter the office they find Principal Weatherbee and Sheriff Keller waiting for them.

"Hey, what's up?" he asks, knowing this can't be good. He can see them looking at the start of the board he had been making, with little headway and he knows this is not going to go in his favor.

"We need to talk, Jughead. I'm going to need to take you down to the station," Sheriff Keller tells him with a serious look.

He can see Betty getting ready to let loose on them and he shakes his head at her not to. It's not going to make anything better. "Call my dad," is the only thing he says as he follows the sheriff and principal out of the door. Jughead sees her nodding, looking scared and angry at the same time.

* * *

"Where were you last night?" Sheriff Keller questions him.

"Not at the Twilight if that's what you're asking," Jughead answers, feeling condemned before he's even been accused.

"Look, Jughead, I need you to work with me here. We know you have a record with arson-"

"Arson?" he interrupts, "I was playing with matches, I wasn't trying to burn anything down."

"And maybe you're mad that you'd be losing your job with the sale of the Twilight, maybe felt like you needed a little revenge," the sheriff continues without blinking.

"What? The Twilight's been sold? When? To who? Why?" Jughead wants to know. This is all news to him, no one had said a word about any of it to him.

"You're saying you didn't know?"

"No."

He can feel the judgment settling onto him no matter what he says or does. It shuts him down and he just wants to sleep until this whole mess is over.

"So can you tell me where you were last night?"

"I want a lawyer."

* * *

"I didn't do it, Betty, you have to believe me."

"Of course not, I know how much you loved the Twilight, you would never do this," she responds, grabbing his hands from across the table.

"I don't want to be their scapegoat," he tells her, finally letting some of the fear he's feeling into his face.

"I'm not going to let that happen."

"Is my dad here?"

"Mr. Andrews is here, we can't find your dad," she replies quietly, squeezing his hand for support.

Jughead isn't surprised in the least.

* * *

"Jughead is making this harder on himself than he needs to," Sheriff Keller tells Fred Andrews in the hallway of the police station. "He won't tell us where he was last night and that's not helping his case."

"He was with us last night," Fred answers instantly, "you know how boys are, they stay up too late with video games then just pass out where they're sitting."

"You sure about that?" the sheriff asks with suspicion in his voice.

"I'm sure," Fred says, "you know, he may not want to talk because he might have snuck out and over to Betty's, they started dating recently. I'd rather face you than Alice Cooper any day of the week, Tom. I bet Jug feels the same way."

"He's dating Betty?" Sheriff Keller asks Archie with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, it's new but it's been a long time coming," Archie responds with a shrug of his shoulders. "Kevin didn't tell you?"

"No, he hasn't said anything."

"You know how these kids are, Tom, they don't tell us anything that goes on with them after they hit puberty," Fred laughs out, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall.

"Where's FP?" Tom wants to know.

"He didn't pick up but I'm sure he'll get the message soon."

* * *

He hasn't seen his dad in weeks and this isn't how he wants to see him for the first time since he left home. His dad is yelling, indignant, and going to make things worse in his not quite sober state.

The shame he feels hits him all over again, this is why he doesn't want people to know what's going on and where he's sleeping. He can't be home with his dad the way he is and he knows Fred will never let him continue sleeping in the closet at the school.

Telling his dad he believes him, that he knows he'll get his life together, he has faith in him is a lie that tastes bitter but part of him, that little part of him that will always idolize his father wants so much to believe him, to go home with him. He knows though, from experience, that the word of an alcoholic is almost always worth nothing. It's not that he doesn't believe his dad doesn't want to change, he knows he does, he also know where his dad's priorities are and they've never exactly been with him. Until his dad wants to change because he chooses it for himself, he's going to keep letting everyone down.

The truth of an addict is always balancing on the razor edge of their vice and the odds are rarely in their favor.

He feels Betty's hand on his face and he wraps an arm around her as the four of them walk away from the police station. He knows he's going to have to face some harsh truths about what's been going on but he thinks maybe it won't be so bad if at the end of the day is Betty is the one he's talking to.

* * *

"So, do you want to tell me where you really were last night and please tell me I won't have to keep Alice Cooper from killing you," Fred asks wearily, leaning against the island in the kitchen.

"No, no," Jughead denies. Even thinking about being caught by Betty's mom in theory is enough to raise his blood pressure. "I was staying at the Twilight over the summer but Betty found out-"

"Whipped that badly, Jug?" Archie jokes, smiling at him.

"And she reminded me it was going to get cold soon," Jughead continues with a glare in Archie's direction, "so I started staying in the school."

"Why didn't you come to me, Jug? You know I would have helped you," Archie asks him, going into the fridge and pulling out some sodas for them all.

"I was fine, Arch."

"What if you had been at the Twilight?"

"Then maybe I'd know who set the fire!" Jughead exclaims, anger over the situation finally getting to him. "Betty's already upset, man, I don't need you adding to it."

Fred looks at him, silently considering the situation. "You know you're always welcome here, Jughead. You can bring the rest of your stuff over tomorrow, okay?"

"Thanks," Jughead says as Fred leaves the kitchen to order pizza for everyone.

Archie seems pensive while taking a drink. "So, Betty's upset?"

"Yeah, mostly about me not telling her I started staying at the school. I think she was just worried though."

"Sounds about right for Betty. Remember when we crashed both our bikes trying to use that ramp we built?"

Jughead laughs. "Yeah, where we went wrong was building it ourselves. She told us it was dangerous and not to do it but we did anyway."

"And then she was so mad, she totally yelled at us, then made us cookies but she was still mad-"

"Oh man, I forgot about the cookies, that was messed up," Jughead cuts him off, getting lost in the memory.

 _He can hear angry stomping up the stairs to Archie's bedroom where they're both laying in the bed playing video games, Jughead with his foot elevated and Archie with a wrapped wrist and big bandage on his knee._

 _His eyes go wide as he sees a twelve year old Betty in pink jeans and white top with a high ponytail with her hands on her hips and fire in her eyes._

 _"Hey, Betts," he says sheepishly._

 _"Don't you 'Hey' me Jughead Jones! I told you, I told the both of you, that the ramp was unsafe. You can't just stack stuff together and use a couple of nails and expect it not to fall over!"_

 _Archie has smartly decided to keep his mouth shut. He's been on the end of a few Betty lectures and he knows it's best just to take it and then beg for forgiveness._

 _Jughead has yet to really be on this side of her anger, he's usually standing behind her making sympathetic faces to Archie as she yells, her anger always born from the worry she feels towards her best friends. "I'm sorry, Betty, really, but it seemed stable when we were testing it."_

 _So close, Jughead thinks as he first watched her face soften then get angrier within just a few seconds._

 _"Why wouldn't you wait for me? I told you I knew how to make it stronger if you were going to insist you knew how to suddenly jump off ramps- which by the way you do **not** know how to jump off ramps- remember when you tried to jump off a rock and slid down the hill at the river, and that was with bare feet and suddenly you can do it on wheels?" Betty screeches out at them while they try not to wince._

 _The faint laughter of Mr. Andrews can be heard and they know he won't be saving them anytime soon. Both he and Mrs. Andrews were not happy about the whole ramp situation and had left them to their fate._

 _Both boys look contrite as they mumble their apologies. As fast as she's mad, she's over it, bouncing on the bed between them, taking the video game controller out of Jughead's hand, soundly beating the pants off of Archie before jumping back up and telling them she'll be back in a little while._

 _They've moved onto a movie by the time she gets back, a plate of cookies in her hand smiling at them._

 _"Chocolate chip? Awesome," Jughead says, happily grabbing one and handing another to Archie. They both take big bites while seeing the large smile Betty is wearing, clueing in quick to her amusement. "Betrayal by cookie, Betty? That's cold."_

 _"Oh, I thought you liked oatmeal raisin cookies," she exclaims innocently._

"That one stung," Archie declares with Jughead nodding his agreement.

* * *

Sitting on an air mattress on the floor of Archie's room, Jughead thinks about what he's going to do next. He's going to need a job at some point, he wants to find who bought the Twilight since that probably leads to who burned it down. Polly is still missing. Jason Blossom is still missing. There's not enough brain power to think about it all as he goes to lay down for the night when he catches a glimpse of Betty through her window.

She must be able to feel his stare because she turns, standing there in cotton shorts and top, hair down and relaxed. He must look terribly dopey because she laughs and blows him a kiss before she closes her curtains. Laying back on the mattress he knows he's got a smile on his face and he hears Archie laugh and tell him, "So whipped, man."

Calm and comfortable for the first time in way too long he just responds with a whispered, "Yeah" as he falls asleep easily for the first time in months.


	10. Chapter 10

Jughead has Betty pressed up against the door of the Blue and Gold, tracing kisses across her jawline while she has her hands in his hair. They've been walking to school together and they agreed to leave early that morning to work on the paper.

So far they've made it into the office. They also managed to close the door but as soon as she did, he had her backed up against it, all thoughts of productivity forgotten. Just as she's sucked his bottom lip into her mouth and he gives her a satisfied groan in return the door opens and pushes her in the back startling her, causing her to bite down.

Jughead makes a strangled painful sound and Betty is too worried about his lip to notice who's walked into the room.

"Oh god, Jug, are you okay?" she asks him, reaching out to check the damage.

His lip is already swollen and a little bloody when he answers her with a wince. "We need to remember to lock doors, Betts."

It looks tender and she's thinking about where she can get some ice for him when she notices Veronica and Kevin standing in the doorway, both looking far too smug.

"Is this a kink, Betty? Because if it is, I'm ashamed you've never told me before," Kevin says to her. "If not, we can just tell everyone Jughead got into a fight and is very manly with his plushy mouth."

"Noticing my mouth, Kev?" Jughead remarks, reaching for a tissue from a box on one of the desks to help stop the bleeding.

"Don't flatter yourself, Jones. You're a guy, of course I looked at some point."

"As nice as it is to see men be objectified for a change, we're here for a reason my sweet B," Veronica tells her, pushing Kevin out of the way to get closer to Betty's side.

Betty hops on top of one of the desks, looking at her friend. "What's up, V?"

"Our mutual and adorably gullible friend, Archiekins, has been dating Val, yes?" Betty nods at this in confirmation. "But then, Cheryl Blossom, our stalwart yet angry ginger snap captain has somehow conned him into some sort of family tapping of maple trees and we need to make sure we get him back in the condition she takes him in."

"Okay. But why is it imperative, if Archie chooses to go, then that's on him, right?"

"The bribery has started, B! She's making promises about his music, gifting him guitars-"

"Oh yeah, I was there for that-" Jughead interrupts.

"And you didn't say anything?" Veronica questions him with an unimpressed look.

"Sure, looking back I can see the possible issues of ignoring that but there are two facts we're missing here," he tells her seriously, "which is that there was an entire pizza in front of me and then there was the whole Betty in front of me thing, so really, it's not my fault."

"Are we put off by the Betty and pizza comparison?" Veronica whispers to Kevin.

Kevin looks intrigued and amused as he tells her, "No, trust me, to Jughead food is everything."

"Interesting. Carry on, then."

"Thank you. Anyhow, the only person that should be worried is Val, right? What does she think of this?"

"Archie says she's fine with it. Which is really very brave of her, to be honest. Archie's not known for resisting temptation and Cheryl's not known for respecting boundaries," Kevin adds, sitting in a chair and pulling out his phone to scroll through.

Betty is confused on why this is an issue. Is it smart? No. But it's not the end of the world, though it may be an opportunity for her and Jughead's investigation. "You know, Jug, Archie being on Blossom property could be very helpful, don't you think?"

 _He catches on fast_ , she thinks as he meets her eye and gives her a slight smile.

"Very helpful, indeed. Maybe we ask Archie to take a look around, see if he sees anything weird or unusual," he says.

"Okay, did you two just take our concern for Archiekins and turn it into a snooping mission?" Veronica interjects.

Betty feels a little sheepish but shrugs it off. "Yeah, I mean, he's going to do it anyway, knowing Archie the way I do, he feels obligated and he's getting something out of it, so he's definitely going to go. Cheryl knows something I need to know, I know she does so-"

"Take your chances where you get them," Jughead finishes for her.

"Oh sweet god, they're finishing sentences again," Kevin mutters, never having looked up from his phone.

"And they say small towns are boring," Veronica quips.

"Not boring, V. Quirky, perhaps."

Jughead raises an eyebrow at her, still messing with the lip she accidentally bit. "More like a hot bed for conspiracy and maple flavored crime."

Veronica rolls her eyes at him. "You really are devastated that your life isn't a noir crime drama, aren't you? Hey, at least you got yourself a Hitchcock blonde, good job on that at least."

Jughead gives her a salute and a smirk in response.

"So, Bettykins, you're not worried about our red headed friend?"

"I am, don't get me wrong, it's a bad idea. He's going to piss off both Val and Cheryl, I almost guarantee it, but I also know he's going to do what he wants so if he can help me and Jug while he's at it, at least he'll have done something productive."

"Devious, B. I like it."

* * *

"How is our resident gigolo today?" Jughead asks Archie as he sits across from him at their designated lunch table.

"Are you going to say that each time you see me?"

"You know what, yes. Yes I am," Jughead answers, pulling the cookies he knows were the product of a Betty Cooper stress baking session out of his bag.

"Where did you get those?" Archie questions, nodding at the cookies in Jughead's hand.

He takes his time to answer, choosing to take a big bite out of one of them. His face is decidedly smug as he chews and Archie looks irritated. "Betty. Didn't she give you any?" He knows she didn't though, she gave him a bag to give to Archie but _unfortunately_ he ate them before he found Archie that morning. Tragic, he supposes.

"You ate them again, didn't you? You're a real dick, Jug," Archie declares with a huff of indignation.

Jughead shrugs and continues to eat. "We agreed that whenever Betty gives me baked goods for you and I can't find you before school starts, you have to grant me amnesty if I eat your portion."

"Jughead, we live together. We came to school together. If Betty hadn't had been picked up by Veronica for some Vixen thing, she'd have walked with us. How exactly did you not find me before school started?"

He considers this for a moment before he decides to answer him. "Okay Arch. New parameters to our long standing agreement-"

"That I never agreed to, by the way, it was something you came up with when we were eleven and Betty gave you a cupcake and one to give to me but you dropped yours, ate mine, then declared you couldn't find me so you had rights to it," Archie interrupts.

"Anyway," Jughead continues, "I vote we just agree that unless Betty gives it to you herself, it's a toss up to whether you get it or not."

Archie looks at him, half amused, half annoyed. "I'm surprised you didn't call girlfriend rights on Betty's baked goods."

Jughead makes a face at him. "Nothing about that sentence sounded good. Too much innuendo and ownership-y wording."

"Very true," a new voice adds and he sees Veronica sitting herself down next to Archie as Betty seats herself next to him. "Where's Val, Archiekins?"

"Practicing with the Pussycats."

Betty bumps him with a shoulder and looks at the cookies he's still eating. "You kept them for yourself again, didn't you?"

"In my defense, Betty, you shouldn't have trusted me with them."

She laughs and hands him half of the big sandwich she can never finish on her own. "That's probably true."

He's contently eating his lunch as he listens in to the conversation around him. Veronica wants to know where Kevin is, Betty wants Archie to tell her about the tree tapping ceremony as soon as possible after it's over, Archie wants Betty to get Jughead to stop calling him a gigolo.

"Sorry, Archie. I think that one's on you. You totally let yourself be bought by the Blossoms," she tells Archie with a less than sympathetic face. "But maybe, if you find us some good intel, you can get him to stop on his own."

"They're not buying me, Betty! I'm doing Cheryl a favor and they're doing me a favor in return, it's that simple," Archie exclaims.

"Archiekins, your optimism is-" Veronica says with a pause while she finds the word she wants, "-refreshing. Simply refreshing."

* * *

"You're very quiet, Betty, did you know that?"

"What?"

"I'm not hearing the gossip I'd like to hear on the changing relationship between you and Jughead. Spill, please," Veronica implores, gesturing for her to sit next to her on one of the bleachers after River Vixen practice.

"What do you want to know?"

Veronica seems to be considering her which makes Betty a little nervous. Archie doesn't really want to gossip and Jughead will listen and make sarcastic comments but they often find other things to do over idle gossip. She has a tendency to keep certain things to herself when it comes to Kevin, he's likely to just let things slip to anyone if he thinks it's good enough to share.

"You don't want to share with the class what it was like when Jughead kissed you?" Veronica asks, leaning forward to keep the conversation quiet.

"He surprised me-"

"I bet he did."

"-but it was a good thing, unexpected," Betty continues, "but nice."

"B, 'nice' is carnations on your birthday, I want to know if it was fireworks on the Fourth of July!" Veronica exclaims, "I know you're not used to girl talk but I want the dirty details."

"It's weird, you know? I didn't expect it to happen but I'm glad it did. You know how butterflies feel in your stomach? When you're nervous and excited but anxious?" Veronica nods at her to continue. "When he kissed me it was like I'd had a million little caterpillars in their cocoons and they were just waiting for him to wake them up."

"You two are horribly cute, I hope you know that."

Betty turns her shoulder inward with a shy smile. "I've always given the ugliest parts of myself to Jughead to keep Archie from knowing about them, you know?" she says, looking at Veronica. "And he's been carrying them around like he's actually _proud_ that I let him have all those cracked pieces and the more I think about it, the more I can't think of anyone else I'd ever let have them."

Veronica sighs and grabs Betty's hand. "That, Bettykins, is what we call endgame."

* * *

The next morning Betty is with Jughead in the Blue and Gold office talking to Archie about his night with the Blossom's when Veronica burst in.

"I know who bought the Twilight!" she exclaims, walking quickly to stand next to where Archie is sitting. "It's my dad. I don't know what for or how since he's in jail, but it was him."

Betty and Jughead share a look then look at Archie who had just told them that he overheard Clifford and Penelope Blossom talking about getting that land back, that it was originally theirs and the start of their empire.

"If," Jughead starts, "your dad bought it and the Blossoms want it, what are they willing to do to get it?" He walks over to their board and pins Hiram Lodge to it, it's a definite lead.

"I think there's a big project he wants to build on the land, I'm going to try and find out more."

"Are the Blossoms capable of setting the Twilight on fire to make the land unappealing to prospective investors or builders?" Betty wonders, looking between Archie and Veronica.

"Yes," Archie tells her. "If you had heard what I heard or seen what I did, you wouldn't even question that. And I actually feel bad for Cheryl, her parents are terrible, Betty."

"How was Cheryl?" Jughead asks. "Did she try and bring you into her web?"

Archie sighs, "Actually, yeah. And she wasn't pleased when I said no. Oh, and Val broke up with me."

"Dammit," Veronica curses as she reaches into her purse to hand Jughead five dollars. "I knew I shouldn't have bet you."

"Pleasure doing business with you, Veronica," Jughead says with a smile, sticking the money into his pocket.

"Anyway, aside from Archie's predictable crash and burn, what does all of this mean?" Betty adds, walking over to the board they've been working on for weeks. "What are the chances Polly or Jason are involved in, at the very least, the Blossom drama?"

"I don't know, Betty, that's a pretty big leap."

"Yeah, it is, but something is telling me none of this is adding up and it's all happening too close together to be coincidences. But maybe it is, I think I'm too biased to look at it objectively right now."

"What do we know for sure?" Jughead asks her, walking to her and putting a hand on her shoulder in comfort.

"We know that there is a new drug coming into the school, that football players are the likely dealers-"

"Wait, what?" Archie interrupts, shocked.

"Yeah, we need more proof but it seems like a pretty solid lead. So, after that we have Jason Blossom missing. Polly is also missing. The Blossoms want the Twilight land. Hiram Lodge bought it. It seems Clifford Blossom also sent your dad to jail, Veronica," Betty informs her.

"Where did you hear that?" Veronica wants to know, looking around at the other three people in the room.

"Archie overheard it at the Blossom's last night."

"This...is turning into a mess, you guys," Jughead says, shaking his head in confusion.

"Hey, remember freshman year when nothing like this was going on and we played video games and went to Pop's and our biggest obstacle was evading Alice Cooper?" Archie reminisces as they walk out of the Blue and Gold and into the hallway. "Those were the days."

* * *

Betty pulls Veronica aside before they part ways for their first classes. "Hey, V, are you okay after the Ethel thing from yesterday?"

"I hope so," Veronica replies, "I can't lie for Daddy anymore, I refuse to help him. That is not who I want to be."

"Have you talked to Ethel yet?"

"No, but I'm about to. Wish me luck."

"You'll be fine, Ethel is a good person, she won't hold your dad against you. I'll see you at lunch," she tells her as they continue on to their classes.


	11. Chapter 11

_**October 2, 2009**_

 _Jughead Jones wakes up on his eighth birthday excited. Last year he had gotten chocolate chip pancakes and his mom sent him to school with cupcakes for the class. When he had gotten home he had walked into a room with balloons and three wrapped presents. Betty and Archie had given him their gifts at school that day and that took him up to a grand total of five which wasn't too bad for seven year old Jughead._

 _An eight year old Jughead was quietly hoping for the same even though his parents had seemed so angry lately. He doesn't know why, he just knows his mom is sad and his dad isn't around like used to be. They yell more and he often takes a two year old Jellybean outside to play in the yard and no matter how much she tries, he almost always stops her from eating the grass._

 _The living room is quiet when walks out in his pajamas, his mom is holding Jellybean as she tries to wake his dad up from the couch. His mom looks sad as she gives up and walks past him and down the hallway. He doesn't know what's wrong but he knows this year isn't going to be the same._

 _He doesn't even see his mom again before he leaves to ride his bike to school. When he gets there he sees Archie and Betty waiting for him at the bike rack, both holding bags and Betty has a box he knows has a cupcake in it. She brings him a special one every year, has since kindergarten._

 _"Happy Birthday, Juggie!" they both yell at him once he gets a little bit closer. He smiles at them as he parks his bike, taking the gifts they hand him._

 _"Thanks," he tells them as they walk towards their classroom. If they notice he's not happier, they don't say anything. In the classroom, once they reach his desk, Betty sets the box she had been carrying down._

 _"It's chocolate this year, Polly helped this time so it looks better than last years," Betty tells him._

 _"Thanks, Betty," he says to her, this time with a more genuine smile._

 _"Open your presents, Jug!" Archie exclaims. Archie's never been good at waiting for anything and he's already handing Jughead one of the presents before he can even move to grab it. He reaches inside the bag and pulls out something bright and plastic._

 _"It's a Transformer," Archie says excitedly, "so now we can play together when you come over and you get to keep this one at your house."_

 _"Thank you," he tells Archie, messing with the arms and moving the legs back and forth. "This is great, Archie."_

 _He grabs the second bag and has to empty it out on his desk, there wasn't just one thing to grab. What falls out is a stack of nice notebooks and lots of pencils, even some colored pens._

 _"Remember when we had to write those stories for class?" Betty asks him. "Yours was really good, Jug, so I thought you could write more with these." She looks a little nervous but he loves it, he really does. There's no paper he can just write on at home that isn't for school, his mom says it's wasteful._

 _"Betty, this is awesome, thank you," he says to her, looking at her with eyes that are finally happy once that day._

 _She reaches into the bag she had given him and pulls out another little box and hands it to him. "Don't forget this, it's a slinky, I know how you and Archie ruined your last one seeing if it would make it to my window from his."_

 _He smiles at her, he had really loved that slinky. Even if Vegas had tried to chew it a few times. Before he can say anything else, the teacher calls for their attention so they both rush to their seats and he thinks this birthday could be worse so he'll take what he can get._

 _When he gets home that day, after eating the cupcake at lunch and carefully tying the gift bags from Archie and Betty to the handlebars of his bike, at first he thinks no one is home. Walking further into the living room he sees his dad is still asleep on the couch. He doesn't hear Jellybean or his mom and when he can't find them, he figures they must have went to the store._

 _This year there were no chocolate chip pancakes, no presents from his parents, and no balloons. He doesn't know when his mom and Jellybean come home, he doesn't see them before he goes to bed and his dad didn't wake up until dinner time and all he did was order a pizza for them to share. No one mentions his birthday and he thinks it might be a good idea to never mention it again._

 _ **October 3, 2009**_

 _"I forgot to ask yesterday but did you get the same pancakes as last year, you said they were really good, remember?" Betty wants to know that morning before school starts._

 _He frowns at her and shrugs. "I decided I hate chocolate chip pancakes."_

 _She looks confused but doesn't ask further and just says, "Okay. Hey, if you want, I'll hate them with you."_

 _"Why would you do that?"_

 _"Why not? Besides, it's not like it's chocolate milk, now that would be unforgivable," she tells him while walking to the door of their class._

 _"That would be crazy, Betty. No one hates chocolate milk."_

 _"Exactly."_

* * *

 **October 2, 2017**

As he's looking into Betty's sad eyes, his anger dissipates as he remembers a little girl who promised to always hate chocolate chip pancakes with him just because he said he hated them. Her eyes are turning red and starting to water and she goes to leave and he can't help the feeling of regret that washes over him.

"Betts, hey, Betty, come on," he starts but she's got a decent head start by walking out of the room faster than his brain caught up.

God, he's an asshole. If she never spoke to him again, he'd deserve it. Betty has been there for for all of his birthdays and she's the only thing he truly enjoys about them so the fact that he lashed out at her in his own insecurity and loss of temper is going to go down as one of his dumbest days so far.

The day had started so well, too. Betty brought him his annual cupcake, this year's was something she called a pumpkin spice latte cupcake and she lamented that she was one pair of leggings away from completing her white girl archetype but that the cake was good so she'll have to live with it. He didn't get what any of that meant but she was right. That cupcake was good.

His traditional Bijou trek had gone off with a problem, he had Betty with him and he thought that maybe if he got to put his arms around Betty and kiss her in a dark theater, maybe this whole birthday thing might get better for him. If only he had known then what he knows now.

 _He hesitates as they get closer to Archie's front door. "Tell me there isn't a party going on in there, tell me I'm seeing things."_

 _Betty looks at him with apprehension and says, "I know you hate your birthday, Jug, but I thought it might be nice to celebrate with just a couple of people this year. Archie, Veronica, and Kevin, if you include you and me that's not even enough to make a sports team!"_

 _"Sports? That's...really not selling it, Betty. You know how I feel about my birthday," he huffs, annoyed._

 _"I do know, I promise it's just the five of us, watching a movie or playing a game or something, it's supposed to be fun, Juggie."_

 _"I don't do fun with other people," he states flatly at her. "Look, I don't hate Veronica or Kevin, you know that, but I did not want to spend tonight with them."_

 _Betty looks anguished and he can see her inner Cooper trying to come up with a compromise. "Okay, what if you try it for a little while and if you're still irritated, we'll leave. We can go to the old treehouse and hang out, just you and me."_

 _"You get forty-five minutes, Betty." He knows he sounds like an ungrateful jerk. He's acting like one for sure, but there's this overwhelming pressure when no one asks what you want. Do you want to live in a drive in or a school because your dad is too drunk to function? Do you want to live with Archie because your parents aren't capable of parenting? His mom didn't ask if he wanted to leave and the world can make you so angry when it's making all of your choices for you._

 _"Forty-five minutes and if you hate it, we'll leave, I promise."_

They had entered Archie's house to the enthusiasm of Veronica and Kevin. Archie looks a little more reserved but he's smiling at him and wishing him a happy birthday with the rest of them.

He can see the rest of the cupcakes from that morning in the kitchen along with a whole cake, candles unlit and stuck into it. The whole thing started easily enough, he remembers, sitting around like they do at lunch, eating and talking about nothing so he's not surprised when the doorbell rings.

Less than a minute later Cheryl Blossom had eviled her way into Archie's house along with the football team, her very own brand of minions, and alcohol. He knows he took off less than a minute later, hiding in the garage with Vegas, miserable. Betty found him probably twenty minutes later and she was carrying the cake he had seen with the candles lit.

He winces at the memory of what happened after that.

" _Happy Birthday, Jug," she tells him with a sad smile, holding the cake up so he can blow out the candles. He does so solely to keep them from being a fire hazard and after he sits back down with a grunt._

 _"Betty, I just wanted to be with you today. Why was that not enough for you?"_

 _"Enough? What do you mean by that?" she asks him, bewildered. She sits on the table facing the chair he's sitting in, setting the cake next to her. "I just thought it might be fun to do something normal for once."_

 _He wants to tell her he loves the sweater she's wearing, knowing she picked it out with him in mind makes him happier than any gift he'd ever gotten. He wants to tell her how much he cares about her, he thinks it's love and maybe he's not totally sure what that feels like but if the way he feels about Betty isn't love, he's worried he won't survive it when it is love. He wants to tell her he just wants be alone with her. That alone with her beats any time of any kind with anyone else._

 _If only he had said any of those things. If only he had said almost anything but what he did._

 _"Is this where it begins then? Your need to turn me into Archie? So you can be normal and do normal things? I am not normal, Betty. You know that," he barks at her, making her stand up. He stands up as well and she's looking up at him, confused and hurt. "If you're trying to turn me into Archie because he didn't want you, I'm not interested, Betty. Slumming it with me isn't going to make Archie realize what he gave up."_

 _He can tell he just went too far. His brain was screaming at him to shut up but he just couldn't stop and now he thinks he's lost her before he really had her._

 _He calls for her as he sees the back of a blonde ponytail walking quickly away. He sinks back into the chair and even Vegas snubs him when he tries to pet him. It's no less than what he deserves._

* * *

 **"YOU!"** he hears Veronica yell as her heels click quickly on the floor towards him, "What did you do to Betty?" She's pointing at him with an angry glare. "What on earth were you thinking?"

"Not now, Veronica, okay?" he pleads with her.

"This is how you want this to go? For you to let her walk away because you pick one day a year to keep a stick up your ass?" she's railing at him.

That rubs him the wrong way. "Veronica, you really don't know what you're talking about, okay?"

"Let me guess, you have bad birthdays or you hate it for another reason, am I right?" Veronica snipes at him, crossing her arms and glaring at him. "Surprise, Jughead, we all have something we don't want to deal with. It's life! And your friends, your _girlfriend_ , just wanted to do something nice for you. The fact that you made that a crime for some reason is bullshit."

"Veronica-"

"No, Jughead, listen to me, I know your life is hard. But no one here is living in perfection, alright? Archie's mom is in Chicago and he hasn't seen her in months. Kevin is gay in a small town with his dad being the sheriff and his mom is overseas. My family lost most of its money, which maybe isn't a big deal to you, but it's a hard adjustment for us, okay? My entire life changed in a very short amount time. And my dad? He's in jail. Actual jail, Jughead," she interrupts. "Betty? Her sister is missing. Her family is lying to her on a daily basis and she has to pretend everything is fine. And now her boyfriend was just an asshole to her because he can't suck it up for one night when she tries to do something nice for him."

"I-"

"I wasn't done," she yells at him. "Your life isn't easy, I get that. But at some point you are just going to have to live with the fact that you weren't the only one who got an invitation to the pity party of life. I know you don't want to hear it but until NASA tells me different, the world? It doesn't revolve around you."

The guilt he's feeling feels like it's suffocating him. "I know that, Veronica. I messed up. I shouldn't have said what I did."

She's looking at him with disdain. "If you only knew what Betty said to me about you the other day, you'd be asking for people to punch you and thanking them for it."

If Veronica's goal in life is to make him feel terrible, goal met. Goal surpassed. He is angry with himself and worried he's lost Betty and he feels frozen and doesn't know what to do.

Veronica points at him again. "You're gonna fix this."

He takes a deep breath, stands up, picks up the cake that was left on the table and leaves the garage.

* * *

He thinks that he got up the ladder of their old treehouse with a cake in one of his hand by sheer willpower alone. When he finally manages to get up to the tiny little porch that was a lot bigger to him when he was ten, he lets out a sigh of relief when he sets the cake down.

He can see Betty through the small doorway, sitting on the floor with her head on her knees, arms wrapped around her legs and hands clenched. His stomach sinks and he moves awkwardly to go sit next to her.

"This is a lot smaller than I remember it being even a year ago," he tries to joke with her. All she does is shrug with a sniff.

He scoots closer to her side wrapping an arm around her, pulling her closer and putting his face into her hair. "Betty, come on, look at me."

She doesn't move and he puts his other hand on the side of her face, holding her still as he murmurs into her ear, "I'm sorry, Betts, I'm so sorry, I don't know why I said any of that."

"'Cause you're a jerk," she states and he hugs her tighter.

"Yeah, I know. You were just trying to do something nice for me and I threw it in your face."

She finally looks over at him with wet eyes. "I know you hate your birthday, Jug. I wasn't trying to disregard your feelings, I promise, I just thought it would be nice to spend the day with people you like, doing things you like to do."

"I know that now. But the only person I wanted to spend the day with is right here. Being alone with you is like a birthday gift every day, you know? I don't need more than that," he tells her, brushing some leftover tears off of her cheek.

"Practice that on the way up here, did you?"

"Only a little bit, I swear."

She looks sad and remorseful as she says, "I don't know who invited Cheryl."

They look at one another for a moment then both come to the same conclusion. "Kevin."

"You just know he put it on the internet somewhere," Betty states. "How many social media sites does he have again?"

"Uh, all of them?" Jughead offers, adjusting to sit more comfortably, as he pulls her up and over to sit on his lap. "Come here."

"Juggie, when I said normal, I just meant where we're not investigating arson or drugs or missing people. I like you the way you are," she murmurs to him as she puts her head on his shoulder.

"I overreacted, Betty. I think I'm just waiting for you to realize you could do so much better than me," he tells her softly, running his hand down the back of her hair.

"Not possible."

He smiles at that. "You know, I did manage to make it up here with the cake you made me."

She looks up at him, almost impressed. "You carried a cake up that ladder and didn't drop it?"

"I did. Do you want to share some with me?"

"Sure. Did you bring forks or anything?" she asks him, moving off his lap so he can grab the cake from outside.

He groans at that. "No, but some things, like finger painting, are best done with the hands, right?"

"If you say so."

"I do say. And it's my birthday so I'm right until midnight. Tomorrow we'll resume the status quo of you being always right. Sound good?"

She laughs at him and sticks her fingers into the frosting. "The frosting is the best part, Jug. Really the best part of cake is the fact that it's a socially acceptable way to shove a ton of frosting in your face."

As she's picking at the cake, he sees the bright red marks on her palms. His heart drops and he grabs her hands with the both of his and says, "Oh, Betty, I'm sorry I caused this." He kisses her knuckles and she leans forward to press her lips to his then lays her head on his shoulder again.

"I was thinking-"

"Dangerous," Betty interrupts.

"Funny. As I was saying, I was thinking that I need a date to the dance and wondering if you knew anyone who wanted to go with me?" he asks.

"Well, I did hear Archie is recently single. I bet he'd go with you."

He can't help the laugh that bubbles out of him and as soon as he opened his mouth to respond to her, she shoves a bit of cake in his face. "I'm definitely not taking you now."

"That's fine, I bet Veronica will take me."

He considers that, wiping cake off of his face. "She really would, wouldn't she? Is it wrong that I'm a little scared and intrigued by that?" He's sufficiently distracted her enough that she doesn't notice he's shoving his own piece of cake into her face as retaliation. He's smearing the frosting further up her cheek when he stops to kiss her one more time and say, "Fine, I suppose we'll just have to go together then, won't we?"


	12. Chapter 12

Veronica can't believe her ears. If what she's listening to is true, things just got a lot more complicated than her dad buying the Twilight land to build some up and coming development. A development Fred Andrews is going to build, something she apparently signed for and didn't know about. She'll be mad at her mom for forgery later.

She tilts her head to hear better when she picks up the word _serpents_. Her mom is going to start working with Fred Andrews? And something about serpents? She doesn't know what's going on aside from the concrete proof her dad bought the Twilight but she knows a couple people who probably do.

She shoots Betty a quick text _Hey, do you know anything about something called serpents? The serpents? Let me know asap._

Veronica's eyes widen as she reads Betty's response.

* * *

 **Three Days Ago**

"Thanks for meeting me, B," Veronica greets Betty as she slides into the Pop's booth across from her.

"No problem. So what's up, Veronica?"

"I need to be a little transparent and I need some advice after that," Veronica responds while picking at the edge of the menu in front of her.

"Okay," Betty says, catching the eye of the waitress to take their orders. "Lay it on me."

"Well, first I'd you to know that as it turns out, those after school specials were correct, drinking large amounts of alcohol _does_ encourage you to make questionable decisions," Veronica starts, then takes a pause when the waitress approaches. Once their orders are taken, she continues. "In the midst of a small but poignant pity party starring one Archie Andrews, I may have kissed him."

Betty stares at her for a few seconds before asking, "Did he not want you to? I mean, other than consent and maybe him being a terrible kisser, I'm not sure I understand the issue."

"He did kiss me back so consent wasn't the issue. My hesitation comes from the fact that he was trying to get Val back for most of the night then we kissed then I slept over-"

"You slept with Archie?" Betty interrupts, surprised.

"No, no. Just stayed there overnight, he was on the floor. Which was on Jughead's bed, by the way, so where, exactly, was Jughead?"

"Oh no, you're not switching the subject on me now, do you not want to date Archie, is that the problem?"

"I would but he dates an _awful_ lot of girls, you know?"

"That's true, he does, I do think he'd be different with you, if that helps. Also, I don't know if you noticed but Archie is still friends with pretty much all of them. He's not a bad guy, V, he loves girls and girls love him. He's not trying to use them, he really likes each and every one he dates and that's not a terrible quality even if the quantity is questionable."

"I just don't know, B. And, for the record, this doesn't bother you, does it? Because I would never put Archie over you, you know that right?"

"It's fine, I'm fine. If you like him and want to date him, then you should. If not, then tell him," Betty remarks. Then she groans at a realization. "Oh god, if you date Archie, Kevin is going to be insufferable in his singleness. Never mind, no dating Archie, the world can't handle an upset and complaining Kevin."

"No Moose?"

"Moose is never going to leave Midge for Kevin. Despite his extracurricular activities that I'm still unclear on whether Midge knows about or not, he really does love her."

"Something to consider then, isn't it?" Veronica tells her as their food arrives. "So, where was Jughead last night, Betty?"

Betty pretends not to hear her.

* * *

 **Three Days Ago**

Jughead feels apprehensive as he stands in front of the door to his dad's trailer for the first time in months. He wants to get some things he left behind now that he knows he can keep some stuff at Archie's but he doesn't really want to see his dad.

He knocks twice on the door before he pushes it open. It looks the same, smells the same, like it's locked in time with nothing but a feeing of failure and sadness surrounding it. Before he gets three steps in he can tell his dad is passed out on the couch. Part of him, a small part, was expecting different. Hoping for different.

He should have known better.

The living room is a mess. There are bottles and cans and take out boxes laying around, the TV is on with the sound on low and Jughead already feels the weight of the air on him. This is who he doesn't want to be. He's not the best student, he's not going to get a sports scholarship, the opportunities he gets he will have to fight for but every time he sees his dad in a position like this it reminds him he needs to escape this fate.

If he has to pay off student loans until he's retired or if he has to work two jobs just to pay for school, he's not going to do anyone the favor of proving their assumptions about him right. They look at him and see his dad, expect him to live on in that legacy of failure and revel in the feeling of their low expectations, to think they were right all along about him. He's never going to give any of them the pleasure of that.

He'll ghost this town long before that if he can't get a ticket out on his own. He'll follow Betty wherever she goes if she'll have him. The only weight of expectations he's willing to carry is hers, she thinks he's going to do something great and he's not in this life to willingly let her down.

Standing next to the couch, looking down at his sleeping father, he bites back the disappointment with a sigh and turns to go grab the few things he wanted to take with him. As he passes the kitchen counter he sees some papers that look official. He can see his dad's signature before he sees what they're for as he grabs them to read.

They're guardianship papers to give Fred Andrews temporary custody of Jughead. Signed, dated, they only need to be filed. He doesn't know how or what to feel about this, on one hand, it makes his life so much easier and on the other, it feels like his dad is giving up on him.

"I was going to tell you about those, Jug," he hears his dad say to him in a weary tone.

"You're just handing me over to Fred? Like a dog or something?" he asks him, turning to look at where he's standing.

"You know that's not how it is. Your mom took off with Jellybean months ago, I hear they've got a sweet set up in Toledo. Maybe once I get myself handled we can-"

"No. If you sign me over to Fred, you let it stay that way, don't jerk me around anymore, Dad. You want me to, what? Wait for you to fix yourself just so I can leave everyone I've ever known because Mom _might_ let us stay with her and Jellybean? If she wanted us there, she'd have told us. She didn't just leave you, she left me too," Jughead furiously tells him.

"Boy, this could be good for us. A fresh start."

He thinks of Archie and playing video games and talking about nothing and everything, listening to him write his terrible songs and pretending to love them. Eating at Pop's and the way Archie defends him from the likes of Reggie Mantle despite being part of their circle. He thinks of Kevin and though he's not truly that close to him he knows Kevin would help him if he needed it. He thinks of Veronica and how she came and shook up their world and how much she loves Betty and that translates into caring about him.

Then he thinks of Betty. When they were little and she held his hand and went down the slide with him when he was scared to by himself. And now that they're older and she charges through his life, his staunch defender at every turn. The way she throws herself into his orbit, the way he thinks that Veronica was right, the world doesn't revolve around him but his might revolve around Betty, even if it shouldn't. And the laughter of her finding frosting stuck in his eyebrow the night before. Theoretically, he knows he could leave. He could try and start over, with his mom and little sister in another state where no one knows who he is or where he comes from.

But what's the point of starting over when you feel like your life is finally starting?

"No, Dad, I don't need a fresh start, your mistakes are not going to be my legacy. I don't need to start over, I'm finally happy for the first time in a long time and I think you owe me enough to let me stay that way," Jughead says. "Go ahead and file these, it might be the best thing you ever do for me, okay?"

His dad nods, looking down and resigned. "It was meant to be temporary, Jug. Just until I get back on my feet."

Jughead considers him thoughtfully. "I'd believe you, Dad. I would. Except I walked in here and found you flat on your back, I think it's going to take you a while to stand back up." He hands the papers to his dad and walks back to the bedroom to grab the stuff he came for.

"If you change your mind-" his dad starts.

"No. I'm not leaving Betty."

* * *

Betty puts a chain of events together rather quickly after Veronica's text. _Serpents_. She knows Mr. Jones is a Serpent, and not from Jughead, but from her mother and her whispered warnings of those Jones men. The Register had done a story on increased gang related activity causing property values to drop. She had known the Twilight had been a target of such activity but she had to think that Jughead's dad wouldn't help put him out of a job. There is nothing easy about Jughead's life, the world pushing him down while all he's trying to do is stand up and she has to believe that his dad is better than that.

She's knocking insistently on the door of the Jones trailer when the door finally opens and a bleary eyed FP looks at her in confusion.

"Betty? What are you doing here? Where's Jug?"

"Probably still at the school, Mr. Jones," she answers, pushing herself through the door. "What I need to know is where you were the night of the Twilight fire."

He stiffens at the accusation. "You don't think I burned that down, do you?"

"I don't want to think so, I want to believe that you didn't go out of your way to make sure the Twilight got sold to the right person, knowing your son worked there. Did you know he was sleeping there? Until maybe three or four days before it burnt down? Tell me, Mr. Jones, that you did not help burn down your son's source of income and temporary home," Betty begs him.

"You're a lot like your mother, Betty. The tenacity isn't a Cooper trait that's for sure."

"Mr. Jones, tell me you're not complicit in not only drug related gang activity but arson as well. Along with making Jughead's life harder. Again. Tell me I'm wrong, tell me I have no idea what I'm talking about. That Hiram Lodge didn't hire the Serpents to bring property values down so he could buy the land cheap," she implores. "That you had no idea it was going to be burnt down and that your son could have died had he not been sleeping somewhere else."

"Betty, I-"

"No! The only right answer is no you didn't do any of it. Why do you do this to him?" Betty demands angrily. "God, Mr. Jones, all he wants is someone to love him. He doesn't care about how much money you have or where you live or what your job is, he just wants to know that he means more to you than alcohol!"

"Look, Betty, I didn't have anything to do with that fire, okay? Small time dealing and taking money where we can get it? Sure, the Serpents will do that sort of thing. Arson? That's too heavy to take the fall for."

"I want to believe you. I do. I just don't know-"

"You can't tell Jughead this, okay? He doesn't need to bear any more of my sins, Betty. Don't put this on him too, he's already carrying too much."

"Now you want me to lie to Jughead? I'm supposed to look him in the eye and lie to him about what I know?" Betty asks with derision. "Seems to me, Mr. Jones, that lying to Jughead is your job."

"He doesn't need this-"

"No, he doesn't. He needs a father and since he doesn't have one, he should at least have the truth."

"Please think about what you'll be doing to him before you tell him," FP pleads.

"Mr. Jones, I think the first person you should start telling the truth to is yourself. Then tell Jug. He deserves to know." Betty wraps her arms around herself, walking out of the trailer and down the steps into the cool air of the day.

* * *

 **Three Days Ago**

Archie looks up from the sofa he's sitting on with Vegas, assuming his dad is finally home from Chicago.

He doesn't expect his mom to also walk through the door.

"Hi, honey," his mom tells him and he didn't know until that moment how much he missed her.

"Mom?"

* * *

Jughead is supposed to meet Betty in the Blue and Gold office after school that day and she's late which is unusual. He's trying to concentrate on articles he's behind on for the next edition while looking at his phone every few minutes. He sighs in relief when he hears the door open and turns to greet Betty but is surprised to see it's Veronica instead.

"Hey, Jughead. Have you seen Betty?" she asks him.

He's trying not to be ridiculous and overthink the fact that she's over half an hour late and no text and no calls. "No, I haven't seen her since lunch, we were supposed to meet here and she's late."

"Dammit. I need to talk to her about what I heard yesterday," she tells him, leaning against a desk, looking over their board with new scrutiny.

"What did you hear?" he asks her, stretching his arms up and over his head before settling back into his chair.

She looks uncomfortable, like she doesn't want to share but has no real reason not to. "I overheard some stuff between my mom and dad on the phone," she hedges without meeting his eye. "It has to do with the Twilight land and a new construction deal I know Archie's dad is going to build."

She's acting shifty and he wants to call her on it but doesn't know what she could be trying to hide. "Okay, what's the problem-" he's interrupted by his phone notification going off. He sees Betty's name on the screen. "It's Betty," he tells Veronica. He sees it's a string of texts that pops up, like someone sent them when they were out of range and then they all hit at once.

 _Running late, be there asap._

 _Cheryl wants to talk to me, will be later than planned. Sorry._

 _Something's come up, I'll call you when I can._

 _Shadow Lake._

"What the fu-"

"What's going on, where's Betty?" Veronica interrupts hurriedly, walking over to him. She grabs his phone to look at the texts. "What is this?"

"I don't know, what could Cheryl want to talk to her about that isn't going to end badly for Betty is the real question," he replies. "What's in Shadow Lake?"

"I have no idea, but it sounds familiar," she tells him. "Meet me in front of Archie's in an hour if you don't hear from her, okay? I need to get Smithers."

"Yeah, okay," he responds distractedly. Betty going with Cheryl is probably not a good thing. Not that he truly believes Cheryl is a demon. It's more that he wouldn't be _surprised_ if she were. He only stays long enough to clean and lock up before leaving.

He half jogs all the way to Archie's and with twenty five minute before he supposed to meet Veronica he gets a text from her. _Have you heard from Betty?_

He responds immediately. _No, not yet._

Her response puts him on edge right away. _I know what's in Shadow Lake. Be ready, we're leaving in 20._

* * *

Betty is walking back towards the school after her confrontation with FP when she hears a car pull up next to her. She looks over and sees it's Cheryl in her cherry red convertible.

"Can I help you, Cheryl?" she asks, stopping to turn towards the car.

Cheryl eyes her from the top of her sunglasses. "Yes, you can. Before you cause any more chaos, I'm going to need you to come with me."

"Go with you where?"

"Does the destination matter so much?" she questions Betty. "Or is it the journey along the way?"

Betty rolls her eyes. "I didn't realize you had gone philosophical, Cheryl."

Cheryl looks impatient. "Get in the car, Betty. I'm not going to kill you or anything, I don't have the patience to deal with your ever persistent hobo of a boyfriend if I did."

Sighing, Betty reaches for the door handle. Once she gets in she shoots Jughead a quick text.

"So, where are we going? I'm already late for something."

Cheryl keeps her eyes straight ahead. "Better cancel then, you're not going to make it."

Betty sends another text to Jughead. "So, where are we going, Cheryl?"

"Shadow Lake."

Betty sends one more text while Cheryl's attention is focused on driving.

* * *

Jughead is waiting for Veronica, reminiscing about the night of his birthday in the old treehouse. He thinks after the fighting and the bad memories and the bad feelings it might be one of his favorites so far.

 _He's laughing as Betty tries to wipe the frosting off of her face. He keeps making it worse and stealing kisses each time and she's trying to smear more of it onto him but he has the upper hand and they can't stop laughing._

 _Once they've calmed down, she looks at him seriously and asks, "Why do you think I want you to be Archie?"_

 _He closes his eyes and wishes he never said that. "Betty, I don't-"_

 _"Don't you dare say you don't know, Jughead. 'I don't know' is for when someone asks you what you want to eat, it's not for when your boyfriend accuses you of wishing he was someone else."_

 _"Betts, I watched you pine for Archie for a really long time, okay? Long enough to make me insecure that you're still waiting for him to notice you," Jughead tells her, tilting his head back onto the wall of the treehouse._

 _He feels Betty's hands on his face, pulling it towards her. "Look at me, Juggie," she says and he opens his eyes to look at her. "I did want him to notice me. And in doing that I totally ignored that you were there, already seeing who I was."_

 _He's staring at her, considering what she said to him, feeling terrible for what he had said to her earlier that night. "I'm sorry, Betts. I was being insecure and I was mad about the party and I took it out on you while you were just trying to do something nice for me."_

 _"I know," she tells him. "Still, it was a dick move."_

 _He grins at her, leaning up to take her mouth with his. He pulls her up and over onto his lap as he wraps a hand around the back of her neck, chasing her lips when she pulls back. She's smiling his favorite smile at him, the one that tells him she's genuinely happy._

 _She leans forward pressing her lips to his and he feels her hands go up and into his hair, pushing his hat off and lets it fall to the floor as he brings both hands around her back, hugging her tighter to him. He feels her press her hips against him and everything gets a little more urgent and he's not sure how but soon he's got his hands under the edge of her shirt, running his fingers across the skin above where her jeans sit. He can feel himself harden at an embarrassing rate of speed but he's too enthralled to care._

 _Her skin is soft and he can smell the sweet scent of her hair and when her nails scrape against his scalp just right he lets a out a little moan and shivers under her. It spurs her on further and she's running her hands down the front of him to pull the bottom of his shirt up so she can trace her fingers along his sides._

 _He laughs softly into her mouth at the feeling of goosebumps covering him from her touch. She teases his lip with her tongue and he deepens the kiss, tasting the cake they shared on her as he brings his hands further up her shirt, stopping at her shoulder blades and rubbing small circles on them, making her shudder and groan into his mouth. Jughead wonders if she's aware she's rolling her hips into his, hitting the right spot on him with each pass. Before he realizes it, his hands are on her hips, helping her move on him. Her arms are wrapped around his shoulders and she's breathing quickly into his mouth, little moans escaping with each pass._

 _He can feel the heat building in him, each thrust of her hips sending him a little higher each time and he wants her there with him. He's helping her move faster and faster basing the motion off of the volume and frequency of her whimpers. She pulls her face away from his and tucks her head into the crook of his shoulder and he can feel the warmth of her breath on his neck, her panting coming quicker than before. He's ready to go over the edge when she hugs him tighter to herself and lets out a loud moan punctuated by a whispered, "Oh god, Jug."_

 _Even if he wanted to he can't stop himself from joining her, a muffled groan into her neck as he lightly bites down on her collarbone._

 _It takes a few moments before they catch their breath. He speaks first. "Well, that's not at all what I expected but if that's how you surprise me on my birthday, I can get on board with it."_

 _She's laughing at him, looking a little embarrassed and avoiding eye contact. He takes her chin with his fingers and moves her face gently to look at him. Jughead sees the flush on her face in the moonlight coming through the window of the treehouse. "You're beautiful, Betty."_

 _With a shy smile, she meets his eyes and starts laughing again._

 _"What?" he asks her, confused._

 _Betty reaches up and rubs her thumb across his face. "You've got frosting in your eyebrow, Jug."_

The sound of a car horn pulls him out of his thoughts. He gets up and walks over to where Veronica is waiting in her car with Smithers.

"Get in loser, we're going to get Betty."

"Really, Veronica?" he questions. "That's not outdated to you yet?"

"I've just always wanted to say it. Anyway, come on. Let's go, it's gonna take a bit to get there," she tells him. "Have you seen Archie? Is he coming?"

"He's still at practice, I left a note for him and his parents though." Jughead slips into the car and they set off and he lasts all of ten seconds before he asks, "What's at Shadow Lake?"

* * *

It feels like they've been driving for forever and Betty is getting a little more anxious with each mile.

"Are you going to tell me what this is all about, Cheryl?"

"I suppose you're going to find out soon enough so let me tell you a story, Betty. Or, should I say, Cousin Betty?"


	13. Chapter 13

_"What's at Shadow Lake?"_

* * *

"Wait, let me get this straight," Betty starts, incredulously. "We're cousins?"

"Yes, Cousin Betty. Your great grandfather killed his brother, split from the family, took the name Cooper, and now here we are."

Betty is slightly horrified by the implications of what this means. "I'm a _Blossom_?" Her face twists in distaste at the thought.

Cheryl shoots her a look of warning. "Yes, you are. It's unfortunate that the murderous part of our family saw fit to breed out the good Blossom genes, leaving you _blonde_ of all things. Tragic."

Betty rolls her eyes at that. They sit quietly for a few minutes before Betty asks, "So, what's at Shadow Lake?"

"You'll see."

* * *

Jughead is fidgeting anxiously sitting next to Veronica in the back of her car. "Why would Betty go anywhere with Cheryl?"

"Relax, Jughead, it's not like Cheryl is going to off Betty in some nefarious River Vixen take-down," Veronica tells him. "Well, I assume. It is Cheryl so you never know, I suppose."

He stares at her in slight horror. "That is not helping at all."

She shrugs at him and pulls her phone at to check the screen.

"Are you going to tell me why you were acting so shady at the Blue and Gold earlier or am I supposed to pretend that never happened?"

Veronica raises an eyebrow at him. "If you could just let that go until I have all of the info that would be great. Thanks, Jughead."

He sucks in a breath meant to help calm his stress but it does nothing. "That wasn't supposed to be an actual option. I was leaving it open ended making you aware I know something is up without demanding an answer," he informs her, adjusting the hat on his head for at least the fifth time since they left Riverdale. "It's usually pretty effective."

"I'm sure it is, Jughead, but I think you should hear it from Betty, okay?" she tells him. She stops and considers something with a thoughtful look on her face, crossing her legs and fingering the pearl necklace around her neck. "Or maybe it _would_ be better from me, we do have something in common, you know."

"Aside from Betty?" he questions. "And Archie and Kevin if you want to get technical."

She looks over at him with a sigh. "We both have terrible fathers."

Jughead stiffens. He really doesn't want to talk about his father right now. Not after the last time he spoke to him. "Is that so?"

"Yes," she says, "we do. Mine is in jail, yours is in a gang. Head of said gang if I hear correctly-"

"How do you know that?" he interrupts her, an angry expression coming over his face, then the realization of exactly _who_ would or could know without making a big deal of it hits him.

"Jughead, listen to me, okay? Betty doesn't care about who your dad is. She's not going to judge you for it and besides, she's known for a while."

He slumps back against the car seat. It's a big thing to keep to yourself. Shame burns through him at the fact that his dad is a known gang member on top of everything else he has to deal with simply because he was born a Jones. "How did she find out?"

"Her mom told her ages ago. Some source on some Register article about the increased gang activity lowering property values," Veronica responds.

He knows why Betty would never mention it. Although she has a tendency to go after something with the motivation of a hungry lion she also knows when to hang back and let some things happen naturally. She was waiting for him to tell her, he knows that much.

Veronica pats his knee in sympathy. "Look, Jughead, my dad is in jail and is responsible for ruining families. He's caused people financial, emotional, and physical harm. I don't think your dad can be worse than that."

"Is someone still your dad when they give you away?" he asks her, picking at a thread on the bottom of his shirt.

"Give you away?"

"Yeah," is all he says. He doesn't explain further, he just lays his head back on the seat and closes his eyes, wondering what Cheryl could possibly want with Betty that isn't going to end badly.

"You know, I've been trying to do this thing where I think about all the stuff I have now instead of all the stuff I lost," Veronica says out of nowhere. "Because at the end of the day, I guess it could be worse. _So much worse_."

He opens his eyes at that and sees the haunted look on her face. "That, Veronica Lodge, is called the Betty Cooper Effect. Everything sucks but you might as well find something to be happy about. She's been doing that to me since we were kids."

She smiles at him. "I was so mean before I came here, Jughead. I would have eaten Cheryl for breakfast, you know? That's not who I want to be, though, I want to be someone who doesn't regret the day before with each new day I wake up."

"You're a good friend to Betty, Veronica, and she needed someone like you," he starts, "I know what you tried to do for Ethel, too. That sort of stuff? It counts."

A sly look crosses her face and he thinks it looks predatory. "I'd like to think I helped you too, Jughead, that my presence helped you get the girl."

He laughs. "True. Though I did skip most of your steps."

"Aren't you adorable? You were never going to get through those steps, believe me. Those were simply to apply pressure to a string that was already close to snapping," she informs him.

He huffs out a breath, thinking about it. "You're diabolical, Veronica." He drops back into his thoughts of where Betty is and what's going on. "Are you going to tell me what's at Shadow Lake or…?"

"Something of my dad's."

* * *

Archie can hear his parents talking when he gets home after practice. It's not something he thought he would ever hear again and it reminds him of before. When he'd come home and his parents would be laughing in the kitchen, talking about their day.

He walks through the doorway to the kitchen and sees them side by side talking like no time has passed. "Hey, what's going on? Where's Jughead?"

"Apparently he and Veronica Lodge took off to Shadow Lake," his mom informs him. "Do you know why he would just take off like that?"

Archie's a little confused but can only think of one reason. "With Veronica? The only reason they would both rush off is Betty."

His dad makes a face like he gets it while his mom looks a little more confused. "Jughead and Betty are dating, finally," his dad tells her.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" she demands, a small smile overcoming her face. "About time, I honestly thought we were going to have to lock them in a closet at some point."

Archie laughs. "That was my plan, if by Christmas, he still hadn't done anything."

"Good for them, then," his mom says to him.

He looks at both of his parents and can't but wonder, "What's in Shadow Lake?"

* * *

When Cheryl's car stops, she sees a flash of blonde coming out of the door to the cabin.

 _Is it a cabin if it's more like a rustic mansion?_ she thinks to herself as she throws open the car door and takes off a run.

"Polly!" Betty yells, running toward her sister. She hasn't seen her in months but she'd recognize her anywhere. Before she can throw her arms around her she stops short, noticing for the first time, the bump under her shirt. "You're pregnant?"

Polly is smiling and nodding, placing her hands on her stomach. They both have tears in their eyes as they finally pull each other into their arms and it's like no time has passed at all. "It's twins!" she tells her excitedly.

Betty pulls back and wipes the tears that have spilled from under her eyes. "What happened? I got home and you were gone and mom and dad won't say a word. I've been looking for you for weeks."

"It's complicated, Betty. Come inside so we can explain it all to you," Polly tells her, pulling her by the hand into the cabin. _Seriously_ , she thinks, _is it a cabin or a mansion?_

As soon as she steps through the door and looks around she inhales a shocked breath. "Jason?"

"Hey, Betty," Jason Blossom says to her, looking a little uncomfortable.

"What's going on?" Betty questions, looking at Polly, then Jason, and then Cheryl.

"Subterfuge, dear cousin," Cheryl answers with a flip of her hair.

Betty is thrilled to see her sister, to know she's safe but she also needs answers. "Someone start talking, please."

And that's how it starts, Polly tells her the story of her and Jason, how when they discovered she was pregnant, they made plans to run away together knowing how each of their families felt about them being together. Jason was going to leave first and Polly would follow, only their parents had her sent to Sisters of Quiet Mercy and she spent weeks writing letters to Betty and to where she and Jason had planned to go but those had been return to sender, to get either of them to help her escape the Sisters. Finally, after realizing their parents were probably keeping the letters from her, she wrote Cheryl as a risky but last ditch effort.

Cheryl helped Polly escape but by then the plan they had made had completely changed. Clifford Blossom was using the maple syrup business as a drug front and Jason wanted no part of it. Fearing for his and Polly's safety, he reached out Hiram Lodge, overhearing a heated conversation between his parents about him, a man they wanted to put in jail.

Never let it be said that Blossoms aren't opportunists.

The enemy of your enemy is often your friend and Hiram Lodge has proven to be very helpful in keeping both Polly and Jason safe. It's for his own gain, sure, but it's working.

"What about our parents, Polly? Do they know where you are?" Betty asks her sister.

Polly reaches out from where she's sitting next to Jason to take Betty's hand. "Yeah, they know. Jason and I are using the leverage of the Cooper family history to keep them quiet."

"And if that's not enough, Hiram Lodge is holding the fate of the financially unstable Register over their heads. They want to keep their little paper? They keep quiet," Cheryl interjects.

That's a lot for Betty to take in. "The paper is in trouble?"

"Print media needs more than a revival, Betty, you know that. Mom and Dad need to expand their reach to other platforms. Hopefully they do it soon and see an improvement," Polly tells her gently.

"It also helps that your parents hate mine, Cousin Betty."

"Must you remind me that we're distantly related to the mother of my children, Cheryl?" Jason asks her, exasperated.

"Why, yes. I think I do, JJ."

"Wait a minute," Betty cuts in, "where do the Serpents fit into all of this? And why didn't you just tell me where Polly was, Cheryl?"

Cheryl looks at Betty like it should be obvious or in boredom, Betty can never really tell her moods by her face. "Betty, despite my general attitude towards you and your-"

"Cheryl!" Polly shouts.

"Fine," Cheryl continues. "We were, in fact, trying to keep you safe. No one wanted you to end up as the only leverage either my parents, Hiram Lodge, or your very own parents had. But you can't help yourself, you just had to go all Nancy Drew on something you should have left alone."

"Tell me you wouldn't have searched for Jason, Cheryl, because we both know you would have," Betty states, sitting further back into the soft sofa cushion at her back. "And you, Polly? No emails, no texts, no anything?"

"Mom and Dad took my phone, there was no internet access at the Sisters and we don't have any here, either. Mr. Lodge said not to use anything that could be tracked. I'm sorry, Betty, I really am," Polly says sincerely.

"It's fine," Betty replies. "And the Serpents?"

"Hiram Lodge hired the Serpents to trash some of the Southside so he can buy it at a lower cost. Mommy and Daddy want the Twilight land since it's part of Blossom history but as far as I know no one hired anyone to set it on fire," Cheryl tells Betty.

"So, you're here, Jason, as Hiram Lodge's ace?" Betty questions. "I assume you have proof of your dad's drug business? And that you're the key to revenge on your parents for their role in him going to jail?" Jason gives her a nod of confirmation.

"Archie was right, freshman year was so much easier," Betty exclaims, exhausted from the day.

* * *

Jughead sits up straight in the car as they pull into a long driveway leading up to some sort of huge rustic lodge. "So, is this like the Lodge's Lodge or what?"

"It's Daddy's _chalet_ , thank you."

"Oh, so a pretentious word for lodge, I see," Jughead replies with a smirk.

"What does Betty even see in you?" Veronica wants to know.

"Unknown, but you know what they say about gift horses and all that," he tells her, noticing Cheryl's car for the first time sitting in the driveway. The light of the day is fading and the lights on inside the house are lighting up the entrance. "At least Cheryl is here. Hopefully Betty didn't jump out of the car on the way here."

"Why would Betty jump out of a moving car?"

"If my options were certain death or being alone with Cheryl Blossom I know which one I'd pick," Jughead declares as they walk towards the front door. He doesn't know if they're going to knock or barge in but he's impatient to make sure that Betty is fine.

When they reach the door he's waiting to see what Veronica does and he's a little impressed when she throws it open and stalks quickly through the doorway. He can hear the rushing of feet against the floor headed their way but he tunes most of it out when he sees Betty rushing towards him.

"Jug!" Betty shouts, "what are you doing here?" He wraps her up in a hug, pushing his face into her neck, finally relaxing knowing she's fine.

"I can't believe you willingly got into a car with Cheryl Blossom," he admonishes her, lifting his head up to cup her face in his hands and press a kiss to her forehead.

"Oh my god, did that finally happen?!" someone yells and he recognizes it as the voice of Polly Cooper and it startles him into noticing the rest of the people in the room. "Polly is here? And pregnant? With Jason Blossom?" He looks down at Betty then at Veronica who looks shocked as well.

"It's a long story, Juggie."

Jughead nods. "It's a long car ride back home, Betts, you can fill me in."

He's pushed out of the way and all he sees is a blur of black hair and pearls.

"B! I'm so glad you're okay," Veronica exclaims as she pulls Betty into a hug. They're both laughing in the way girls do when they're happy to see each other and he looks at Betty with affection, smiling at her enthusiasm.

"How did you know where I was?" Betty asks.

Veronica puts her arm through Betty's and leads her back to the living room. "When I was looking through-" she starts and pauses at Betty's look, "-okay, snooping through Daddy's things I saw some papers for this place, we came here when I was younger and I had pretty much forgotten about it until you texted Jughead about it. I had to go home to find the address and get Smithers but we were never going to leave you to the mercy of Cheryl Blossom."

"But how did you know I would be here specifically?"

"First, I made sure the Blossoms didn't own any property up here, then after that I assumed with Archie's info from the other day Daddy and the Blossoms were connected so I hoped for the best," Veronica tells Betty as they sit on the sofa facing a fireplace. "And here you are!"

Jughead sits next to Betty, taking her hand and he watches a pregnant Polly sit with Jason Blossom as Cheryl sits in a chair across from them.

"This must be the elusive Polly Cooper?" Veronica asks, gesturing towards Polly.

"She is, Polly this is Veronica Lodge. And Veronica, that's Jason Blossom next to her," Betty introduces them, looking like a weight is lifted off of her shoulders. She leans over and into him and he wraps an arm around her.

"I assume there is a story of how this all came to be?" Jughead whispers to Betty.

She nods at him, putting her head on his shoulder. "It's all very weird but everything is connected, Jug."

"Even the drugs?" he questions.

"Especially the drugs," Cheryl interjects. "Daddy has some sort of pipeline that starts with him and runs through the Southside and then goes to the Northside."

"Your dad is where the drugs are coming from?" Jughead asks in shock. "I knew there was a maple flavored underbelly of crime in Riverdale." He looks almost pleased to be right.

"We need to leave soon, B, if we want to get home before all of our parents go nuclear wondering where we all are," Veronica tells Betty. "You should text your mom if you haven't already, god knows she'll probably freak out if she doesn't hear from you soon."

Betty looks sad and resigned as she agrees with Veronica. She heads straight for her sister and hugs her tight as she says goodbye.

"You can't let our parents know you know, okay?" he hears Polly tell her in a soft voice. Betty nods her agreement and says a final goodbye to her as Jughead leads her out of the house with a hand on the small of her back.

He can hear Veronica saying something as they walk away. "I have no idea what's going on and as far as anyone knows, I never did. We were never here, I have no idea who you are, okay? My father doesn't need to know I was here."

Once they're back in the car where Smithers was waiting, he turns to Betty and says, "Lay it on us, Betts. What do you know?"

* * *

Archie gets a text from Jughead after he and his parents had eaten dinner. _On our way back. Betty is with us._

"Jughead is on his way home," he tells his mom and dad. They both look a little relieved and a little nervous. "What's going on?"

"I had planned to talk to Jughead about this first, but you need to know. FP signed temporary custody of Jughead over to me, Arch. He needs a stable place to stay and FP can't give him that."

"Can't Jug's mom come home from visiting Toledo?"

"Gladys isn't visiting Toledo. She took Jellybean and left, she's not coming back," his mom answers, looking angry.

"Jug's mom left him?" Archie asks.

"Yeah, she just packed up one night and left FP and Jug behind," his dad explains. "So, Jug's going to stay here for a while, that's not a problem is it?"

"Of course not," Archie says to him. "I can't believe his mom just took off like that."

He wonders why Jughead didn't tell him the whole story but he knows how Jug gets when things get too personal or emotional.

"That sucks for Jug," he tells his parents.

"Yeah, it does," his mom agrees.

* * *

Jughead is overwhelmed by the time Betty's done talking. "Alright what I'm hearing is that the Blossoms and Lodge's have bad blood between them. With payments from the Blossoms to the Lodges and Clifford Blossom getting your dad, Veronica, put into jail." He stops for a second then continues. "Hiram Lodge hired the Serpents to lower the value of the Twilight land to buy it and did so anonymously as to not tip off the Blossoms and start a war, am I right so far?"

"Yes," Betty confirms.

"Then, your mom, Veronica, forged your signature so Fred Andrews can get the contract for the new construction going on the land. Except a fire destroyed the land so that's on hold until further notice?"

Veronica nods at him in agreement.

"At the beginning of the summer, though, Jason and Polly made plans to run away because she was pregnant, with twins no less, and Jason discovered his dad's drug business. Jason overhears his parents talking about Hiram Lodge so he offers himself and the evidence he collected of his dad's illegal activities as insurance to keep himself and Polly safe. Only, Polly gets sent away before they can meet up to leave town," he says feeling exhausted just by thinking about it. "So then Polly writes to you, only you never get the letters. She then reaches out to Cheryl who knows what's going on and helps Polly escape and takes her to Jason."

He takes a deep breath. "Your parents, Betty, are being kept quiet with both financial and a murderous family history that now has vaguely weird incest-y implications as blackmail." He squeezes Betty's hand in support. "And everyone thought it would be best if you didn't know so you can't be used as leverage on anyone's side?"

"Yeah."

"Does Fred know he's supposed to start working for the Lodge's?" Jughead questions. "And the project is delayed because of the fire investigation so we have time to worry about that later, I hope."

Both Betty and Veronica look a little relieved to be able to put one thing aside for the moment.

"And to finish it off, my dad basically admitted to everything dealing with the Serpents but denies starting the fire," Jughead finishes. "I want to believe him, Betty. I really do, but I think it's still possible he helped."

She looks at him sadly. "I'm sorry, Jug, about your dad."

He pulls her closer and relaxes against her. "I know."

When they pull up outside of Betty's house after saying goodbye to Veronica Jughead looks at Betty with remorse. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about my dad being a Serpent, Betts."

"Jughead, I'm not worried about that, okay? I wish you had told me but I get why you didn't want to. There's a lot about my own mother I don't want the world to know," she says softly, pulling him into a hug and laying her forehead on his chest. "Some things feel like they have more power over you once they're given attention and I get not wanting to deal with that."

"I don't want to be ashamed of him, Betty," he whispers into the top of her head, placing a kiss there before continuing. "But it's like every time I turn around he's given me a reason to resent him."

"I understand, Jug, I do."

"I know you do."

He kisses her goodnight and walks her to her door before heading to the Andrews house. He'd had a long day and all he wanted now was to fall asleep and not think anymore.

 _Man, what I wouldn't give for a day of playing video games, Pop's, listening to Archie complain about music, and kissing Betty. Especially kissing Betty,_ he thinks as he goes inside.


	14. Chapter 14

_These last thirty-six hours had been both the some of the best and worst Jughead Jones has lived through._

* * *

 **Hour One**

"Did you have anything to do with the Twilight fire?" Jughead asks his dad, the feel of Betty's hand on his back for support keeping him steady.

"What? Jug, no, of course not," his dad replies to him, "and I know you know what I admitted to already."

Jughead contemplates his dad's face, the tells he has when he's lying. He doesn't even know why he's at the trailer, he just needed to ask him for himself, to make his own decision on what to believe. Technically, he's not even his dad's problem anymore, not that he ever seemed to be a consideration in the first place. Living with the Andrews, even for the short time he's been there, has shown him that some parents are meant to parent. And some parents can love you, they can love you the best way they know how and you'll still always fall with no net under you.

Or, in the case of Betty, they can love you until you suffocate. Until you choke on the expectations that have you by the throat while they scream your inadequacies at you.

Archie, Jughead has decided, has the most normal parents by far. And he's grateful for them at the moment.

He looks him in the eye one last time. "Okay."

His dad slowly nods at him, seeing what he also needed to see, he supposes.

"Juggie, come on, it's getting late, we need to get home," Betty softly tells him, taking his hand to lead him out of the trailer. "See you later, Mr. Jones."

"Bye, Dad," he calls out as he turns to leave with Betty.

He hears his dad say goodnight to them both but he's already distracted. Far enough away from the trailer to not be overheard he hears Betty ask, "Do you believe him?"

"I do," he nods. "Do you?"

She looks at him with soft eyes and reaches to hold the sides of his face. "I believe _you,_ Jughead."

He looks at her and she's lit up by the spotlight that's lit near the trailer and the moonlight and he can't help himself as he mirrors her actions, gently pulling her forward to press his lips to hers. Her lips are still warm, even in the cooler air of the night, and feel smooth and soft against his. He can't help but take her lower lip between his as he pulls her a little tighter against himself.

Jughead knows that this belief in him, the idea that she's going to be on his side when he needs someone to pick a side without question flips his stomach and he _knows_.

 _This is what being in love feels like._

She steps back from him first, smiling at him like she's the lucky one in their relationship. "We better get going, I don't want Hurricane Alice coming down on me anymore than she already is."

He grins at her, taking her hand and leading her out of Sunnyside.

* * *

 **Hour Ten**

"Jug, get up, man," he hears Archie say to him in a bleary tone. A morning person, Jughead is not.

He grunts back at Archie, probably incoherently before he mumbles what he thinks might be words. "Mmphf, go 'way, Arch."

"Yeah, okay. Though my mom is probably making breakfast and then Betty's going to be here to walk to school, but I'll tell them you need more sleep."

"Jerk," he tells Archie, knowing he's going to get up. Using food and Betty as bait is too effective. He needs to build up some sort of believable immunity. _Pipe dreams are nice,_ he thinks as he rolls out of his bed and onto the floor. Before he can get up, he gives in to the lure of the floor and grabs his pillow off the air mattress and cuddles it so he can get five more minutes of sleep.

* * *

 **Hour Ten and Three Quarters**

"Now you're going to be late and hungry, Jug," he hears Archie tell him as he lightly nudges his leg with his shoe to make sure he's still alive.

"I'm awake, Archie. I'm the most awake person to ever be awoke," he responds into the sweet comfortable fluff of his newly decided best friend, the pillow. "What time is it?"

"A quarter to seven, dude," Archie says.

Jughead processes this and jumps up. "Why didn't you wake me up, earlier? We're going to be late!" He hears Archie let out a groan of frustration as he grabs some clothes and runs into the bathroom.

* * *

 **Hour Sixteen**

"Hey, Betty, do you think I can play a couple songs at the dance, I kind of told my mom-" Jughead sees Archie make a face in response to the face Betty made and he struggles not to laugh. "Whoa, do you not want me to?"

"It's not that, Arch," Betty starts, "it's just that this dance needs to be...fun. And your songs, as amazing as they are, they-"

"They make you want to slit your wrists," Jughead interrupts, trying to save her from the guilt of inadvertently insulting Archie's music. "In a good way."

"In an amazing way," Veronica interjects and Jughead perks up at that, seeing Veronica come to his defense like that makes him think he should start his own betting pool, the Veronica and Archie Edition.

He hears her add something about singing covers and he knows it's a lie, everyone knows it's a lie but no one calls her out on it, if she wants to save Archie's act, then good for her.

* * *

 **Hour Twenty**

Jughead is pulling Betty out of the gym she's been decorating for the dance, heading toward the Blue and Gold office, telling her he has something important to show her. "Come on, Betts."

She's letting him tug on her hand, a little startled at his urgency but following him anyway.

As he leads her through the door and he closes it behind her she asks him, "What's so important, Jug?"

Jughead pushes her back until the back of her thighs bump the edge of a desk and he's putting one hand on her hip and one into the back of her hair, under her ponytail bringing her closer to him to kiss her and the soft moan she lets out against his lips spurs him further and he moves his arms around her waist and picks her up a little and sets her on the desk and moves between her thighs as she gasps in surprise.

Both his hands climb up and under the back of her sweater, the soft skin of her back tracing her spine until she lets out a breathy murmur of, "Oh my god, Jug, what's gotten into you?"

He mouths along her jawline until he reaches her ear to whisper, "Today was good, needed to make it better."

Betty's head falls back as he makes his way down the side of her neck and he can feel her fingers grasping onto the suspenders hanging off of his hips and tugging at them to bring him closer to her. He brings a hand to pull on the neckline of her sweater so he can edge his tongue across her collarbone as she's moving her hands into the back of his hair, knocking his hat to the ground, she wraps her legs around his thighs, locking her ankles to keep him in place.

Pushing the bottom of her sweater up to move his fingertips along her rib cage, his other hand slides to the back of her neck, chasing her lips with his as her fingers curl tighter into his hair. He's pushing his hips forward into hers and letting out a small groan, both of them lost in their own world.

He doesn't hear the door open but he does hear the yell of, "Oh my god!" from who he thinks is Veronica.

It's unfortunate that both Kevin and Archie are standing right behind her. He can practically feel the heat from Betty's cheeks, he knows she's horrified.

It occurs to him then.

He _can't_ move. And he can't think of what sort of protocol there is when your friends catch you making out -and more- with your incredibly hot girlfriend.

Looking slightly over his shoulder he's still got nothing so he says the first thing that comes to mind. "Uh, hey?"

Betty's face is buried in his shoulder, pulling her sweater down and letting her legs fall from around his legs. She's whimpering what sounds like prayers to a deity but he can barely hear her over the sound of his heart pounding, the now painful ache he's now prisoner to, and the delighted giggles of Veronica and Kevin. At least Archie is avoiding eye contact with them.

"I knew there wasn't a creepy bald spot under that hat!" Veronica crowed, pointing at his hair.

His hat. Where was his hat?

"Holy shit, Jughead, no wonder Betty lets you feel her up if that's the hair you're sporting under there," Kevin tells him, looking smugly satisfied. "I hate you."

He feels Betty's head come off of his shoulder so he turns his head to look at her with a smirk. "Is that true? Is it my hair that does it for you?"

"No, of course not. But, to be fair, it doesn't hurt," Betty replies. Neither have moved from their spot and it's not long before their audience catches on.

"Got a problem, Jughead?" Veronica asks, amused.

"You can go now," he tells them. "Bye."

Archie starts to herd the other two out of the door and he can swear he heard him mumbling about _best friends_ and _didn't need to know about that_ and _never gonna unsee things._

When the door shuts behind them, he backs up and lets Betty jump off the desk. They look at each other for a moment before they both blurt out, "We forgot to lock the door!"

It's embarrassing and they're never going to live it down but they can't help but laugh anyway.

* * *

 **Hour Twenty-Four**

Mrs. Cooper offers to drive them to the dance. It's hard to make small talk with a woman you know is being blackmailed while also being responsible for sending her daughter to a creepy nunnery group home for what appears to be the severe crime of being pregnant. While not the best choice to make before you graduate high school, Jughead thinks it can't be worse than drugs or violent crime.

He also can't stop looking over at Betty, she looks beautiful. Her hair is down and her dress is off of her shoulders, something he's figured out he has a weakness for.

"You will text or call if you are going to go somewhere after the dance, Elizabeth," Mrs. Cooper announces as they pull up to the entrance of the school.

"Yes, Mom."

"And, Jug-Head, I expect you'll be a gentleman?"

"Of course, Mrs. Cooper," he replies immediately. He tries desperately not to think of earlier that afternoon as he makes eye contact with Betty's scary ass mother.

"Good. Now have a good time and make good choices."

* * *

 **Hour Twenty-Five**

As it turns out, Archie's music is much more palatable when it's not originally his and he has Veronica singing with him.

* * *

 **Hour Twenty-Seven**

Jughead gets Betty to leave the dance early to go to Pop's with Archie and Veronica. He can tell Betty is exhausted, between planning the dance, finding her sister and learning her shady family history she's not had a break.

In the booth, she's relaxing into him with her head against his shoulder, picking at the food on her plate.

"Is there any more information on the Twilight fire?" Veronica asks Betty who ends up yawning instead of answering.

"Not so far, they think it was arson for sure though," Jughead responds. "No leads that we know of yet, though."

Archie looks between them and questions, "How are you guys keeping all of these details in order?"

"With tenacity and tediousness," Jughead quips.

"Uhm, okay, Jug, whatever you say."

Betty perks up a little, lifting her head off of his shoulder. "What time is it?"

"Aw, Betty, does Jughead turn back into a pumpkin at midnight?" Veronica teases.

Jughead gives her an offended look.

"Don't worry, Jug, I think you look nice," Betty says with a smile, giving the tie he loosened as soon as they left the dance a little yank. "We better get home soon, though."

"Probably," he agrees.

They agree to Veronica's offer of Smithers driving the two of them home while she and Archie finish their food and Betty promptly falls asleep on the barely five minute drive. Jughead has his arm wrapped around her shoulder, rubbing small circles at the top of her bare arm, the skin softer than he thinks should be allowed and he thinks about the first school dance he ever took Betty to, a Valentine's Day dance much to his displeasure. They went as friends, of course, but he still remembers how pretty she looked.

 _ **February 2014**_

 _They agree to meet each other in the gym, it's the first real school dance he's gone to and only because Betty asked him too. He's not much for dancing or crowds or terrible music but he'd been asked by a pair of big green eyes and a hopeful smile and he's always been terrible about saying no to Betty Cooper._

 _She's wearing a pink dress with white hearts on it and a pink headband, keeping her hair off of her face. Jughead thinks she's the prettiest girl in the room as she drags him along behind her, telling him there are snacks if he wants some, though she thinks they're not very good. They stand by the snack table for a little while, Betty talking to people she knows and Jughead standing next to her, eating. Archie's been dancing with his date the entire time and he pretends that he doesn't notice Betty pretending not to care._

 _When he can't take the sadness behind her smile any longer, he asks her to dance. She smiles brightly at him and takes his hand as he walks out to the middle of the dance floor. She puts her hands around his neck and he places his carefully on her hips as they sway along to the music._

 _"Thank you, Juggie," she says to him, moving herself a little closer to him._

 _He manages to get out, "You're welcome, Betty." It's the first time he really thinks about the fact that he's touching her like that. It's all new to him and he's immediately distracted by her chest pressing against him. Reminding himself to breathe, he tries to concentrate on not stepping on her feet but he keeps losing track because there are actual breasts touching him and he thinks he's going to pass out._

 _Jughead has never been both more grateful and more resentful for the song ending and Betty pulling away from him. He suddenly has the thought that he might understand Archie a little better now when he talks about girls._

 _He bravely endures four more dances with Betty before the night is over and after that night he always agrees to go with her to the dances, even if he still sort of hates them. Betty likes them and having someone to dance with makes her happy and having Betty pressed up against him makes him happy._

 _He may hate Valentine's Day but he likes Betty Cooper._

* * *

 **Hour Twenty-Eight**

"Hey, wake up," he says softly as he gently shakes Betty awake. Her eyes blink slowly at him before she realizes where she is and he grins at her sleepiness.

"We home?" she asks in a sleepy voice.

He helps her unbuckle her seat belt and holds her hand to help her out of the car. Once she's steady on her feet, he thanks Smithers and starts to head to her front door. She tugs on his hand, shaking her head and leading them to the side door of Archie's garage.

Once inside, she pulls him down as she sits on the couch that's been in there for as long as they can both remember.

"I don't want to go home yet," she mumbles into his shoulder, throwing her arm across his lap.

He laughs lightly at her actions and just says, "Okay." He lays his head back on the cushion of the couch and he can feel her rubbing her face on his arm. "What are you doing?"

"You smell good, you know?"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

He looks over at her and she's staring at him with bright eyes that remind him of how she looked earlier that day in the Blue and Gold. "You always smell good."

"I know. It's a girl thing."

"I think it's a Betty thing," he tells her, turning his head into her hair and then kissing her temple.

She's running a hand under the edge of the suit jacket he's still wearing. "Are you going to finish what you started earlier?"

He thinks he stopped breathing. "What?"

"Jug, just because it's not visible doesn't mean the girl doesn't suffer too, you know." Before he knows it she's pulling him as she's laying back on the couch, wrapping her arms around his neck as she moves her face to his neck where she starts lightly kissing him, moving her hands along his shoulders.

He stops her for a second so he can take the jacket off then moves back on top of her, putting most of his weight on his arms so he can look down at her.

"This is what you want?"

"Of course, Jug."

He discovers they can't really move with the length of her dress and he still has a tie hanging off of his neck so he puts his hands behind her shoulder blades and pulls her upright and into his lap. He's pushing the dress up her thighs so he can feel her skin and she's pulling the tie off of him and tossing it aside. He's running his hands along the outside of her thighs, feeling her muscles contracting with each pass and her trying not to laugh. "Are you ticklish there, Betty?"

"Shut up," she demands, leaning down to kiss him. She's already starting to move on top of him as she deepens the kiss, keeping his face between her hands.

He's steadily teasing her with his fingers that move to her inner thigh and she gasps and stiffens before melting back into him. He brings his head back to look up at her and her eyes are dark and she's making a steady stream of panting moans that are making it hard for him to concentrate.

When he brings his hands to the top of her legs and lets his thumbs caress the crease of her thigh she jumps a little in shock of the sensation and he keeps caressing her as she grinds into him. She pulls him closer to her and he ends up with his face at the top of her breasts and he can't stop himself from pressing kisses across her chest.

Her pace increases and they're both shocked when one of his hands slips and his thumb catches the edge of her underwear. They both stop and look at each other with wide eyes. Betty is breathing heavily as she just gives him a small nod and he starts to slowly move his hands again, keeping his thumb moving gently on top of the fabric he can now feel is damp and he groans at that.

The knowledge he's the one turning her on is making him want to give in to the urge to thrust up under her. It's a temptation he can't resist and he gives in to the impulse once and as he sees her let her head drop back and hears her inhale sharply, he does it again. And again. She's got her hands on his shoulders for leverage and his feet are firmly planted on the floor as they each move into the other frantically. He can feel her start to shudder against him, her legs shaking on either side of him as she bites her lip, then leaning forward to kiss him again to stay quiet. He can feel that the cotton he's been steadily caressing is far more damp than before and he jerks under her, swallowing back a moan as best he can as he finishes under her.

"Jesus, Betty. If any of this keeps getting better and better, I'm not going to survive it," he tells her, pulling his hands out from under her dress and smoothing it back down her legs.

She laughs softly, nodding, and touches her forehead to his, still breathing heavily. "And we don't even have our clothes off."

The thought of a naked Betty puts a smile of his face and he kisses her one more time.

* * *

 **Hour Thirty-Six**

It's a little too early to be this energized on a weekend, he knows, but he can't help it. He goes downstairs and into the kitchen for some food when he sees Mary and Fred sitting in the kitchen, looking somber.

Immediately apprehensive, he stops short. "What's wrong?"

"They made an arrest for the Twilight fire."

"That's a good thing, right?"

"Jug, they arrested your dad."


	15. Chapter 15

"I didn't do it, Mary," Jughead hears his dad tell Mary Andrews.

Somehow FP Jones has been implicated in the fire that burned down the Twilight, there's nothing but an anonymous tip and the fact that he, like most everyone else in Riverdale, was seen at the Twilight in the week before the fire started.

Jughead knows if he wasn't wearing a Serpent on his back or living on the wrong side of town, this wouldn't be happening. Sheriff Keller must really want to put a Jones in jail because none of the evidence is enough to even hold his dad but that doesn't seem to matter.

Mary looks serious as she responds, "They don't have enough to keep you here, okay? Tom is Sheriff, not God, FP. That he even arrested you based on what he has is a joke and I think he knows it."

Jughead hasn't really moved since they sat, he believed his dad when he said he didn't have anything to do with it. The best and worst part of his dad lying to him so much when he was younger is the fact that he's terrible at it. He's been able to tell when he's being lied to by FP Jones since before he could read properly. He wants so badly to go back before his mom left and took Jellybean, before his dad lost his job, before being from a broken home gave him the most stability he's had in years.

His dad needs this to work in his favor, how many times can he try and get up if the world makes all of your bad choices seem like your only option?

By the time he starts paying attention again, Mary can be heard talking firmly to Sheriff Keller, explaining in detail what _circumstantial_ and _probable cause_ means in case he forgot. If he has enough to arrest FP, she'd be happy to call in Fred to be questioned since he was at the Twilight in the last few weeks. Better yet, how about he go back to pulling teenagers out of school to question them with the same bogus accusations? How about Archie or Betty? Or Kevin for that matter? Kevin was there around the same time.

Both FP and Jughead have smiles creeping up their faces with each new thing she's yelling at the sheriff. They both jump a little when they hear the slam of a door down the hallway from the room they're in and both turn to see Mary come through the door, looking madder than Jughead thinks he's ever seen her and that's including the time he and Archie dared each other to eat as much as possible during a sleepover and neither made it to a bathroom when the consequences of that came back to haunt them.

"Let's go," she tells them, turning back around to leave. "This isn't some sort of totalitarian society, Tom!" she yells as they walk past a closed door.

Jughead can't help but grin at her anger, god but does he love Mary Andrews.

* * *

Mary takes them both back to the Andrews house and he's got an armful of Betty Cooper before he's even made it halfway through the living room.

"What happened?" she questions quickly.

He smiles at her, pushing a lock of hair that's come loose from her ponytail behind her ear. "There's no actual evidence."

Betty lets out a sigh of relief. "Thank god. I was so worried when I got your text this morning."

"You baked something, didn't you?" he asks her noticing Archie circling something in the kitchen like a big ginger hungry puppy.

"Maybe, but don't worry, I told them we had to wait for you and Mrs. Andrews."

He leads her into the kitchen, ready to eat what definitely smells like cinnamon rolls, grabbing a plate and slapping Archie's hand away so he can get Betty one. "Ladies first, you heathen." He hands Betty the plate as Fred gets another for Mary.

"Can I eat one now, Jug?" Archie whines at him.

Jughead grabs two, one in each hand before gesturing to Archie he can go ahead. He notices his dad is standing in the corner of the kitchen with a sad look on his face. "Want one, Dad?"

"Sure, Jug," he replies, reaching out for the one Jughead had been offering.

He takes a seat at the island, next to the pan of cinnamon rolls and tugs Betty to his side, having her lean against him as she picks at the pastry on her plate. "Hey, the dragon can't see you through the walls, I promise."

Betty giggles at him and nods as she finally starts eating.

He didn't notice all three adults smiling at the scene with Mary laughing at Jughead's description.

"The dragon, oh that's _amazing_ ," Mary whispers lowly to Fred. He and FP can't help but look at each other in agreement, Alice Cooper being described as a dragon is eerily accurate.

"So," FP starts, "what's next, Mary?"

"They have nothing, they need probable cause to arrest you with the very little circumstantial evidence they have and they don't have it. They'd have to arrest half the town."

FP leans back against the counter as he finishes eating. "And what about the anonymous call?"

Mary sighs with an irritated shake of her head. "They said that it was someone wearing a Serpents jacket. Which could be any number of people, one shaky eye witness account of someone wearing a jacket isn't really solid evidence. Also, it wasn't even on the night of the fire, so really, it means less than nothing."

"So, what's the motive?" Jughead interjects.

"For one, it makes Mr. Jones, and by association, the Serpents look suspicious. If you're trying to turn Sheriff Keller's head while walking by his blind spot, that's a good place to start," Betty tells him with a lift of her shoulders.

Mary is appraising them with an observant eye. "You two would give Keller a run for his money."

"You think so?" Jughead quips as Betty covers a laugh with a cough.

* * *

"Come on, Jug, I know it's not something you want to do but I really need the article for the last football game," Betty says, pleading with Jughead. "Just send me what you have and I'll help you finish it up, okay?"

"When you say send you what I have, do you mean the article or do you need the pictures too?" Jughead asks her, looking slightly dubious.

"All of it, I need to get it ready for the layout."

"Fine," he says, turning around quickly. "But do you remember how I said I didn't want to do it? Keep that in mind, okay?"

"Alright," Betty tells him, warily. "Have you talked to your dad since you saw him last weekend?"

"Nope."

Betty can tell he doesn't want to go into it further by the clipped response and she's not going to push him on it, not after the last few weeks he's had. She watches him get up and go over to their crime board and start staring at it.

"Anything jump out at you yet?" she asks, seeing the email attachment he's sent her already popping up. "I think everything is connected to-" she cuts herself off when she opens the pictures of the game. "Jughead."

She can see his shoulders stiffen and hear him take a deep breath as he turns around to look at her.

"Yes, Betty?"

"What part of take pictures of the game wasn't clear?" she questions him.

He's holding his ground. "I totally took pictures of the game-"

"There are two pictures of Archie making faces at you and-" she interrupts.

"-they're just all background pictures of the game?"

"-the rest are pictures of me!" she finishes saying as he starts to look sheepish.

Jughead looks at her with contrition. "If I say it was for a new photo exhibit I was doing, would you believe me? I'm calling it _Betty Cooper and the Art of Distraction: A Photo Series_."

Trying not to laugh even though she's still a little irritated she knows he can see the smile trying to break through. "You're ridiculous, Jughead."

"I agree, Bettykins, but we have to agree that that was fairly smooth for someone who was seemingly terrified to touch you below the shoulders just a couple of months ago," Veronica adds, walking into the room, setting herself next to Betty.

She can hear Jughead sigh as he looks toward the ceiling in defeat.

Veronica leans back, crossing her legs and fidgeting with the pearl necklace she's wearing. "So we know that my mother forged my signature to get Fred Andrews the contract for construction on the Twilight land, that my father hired the Serpents to lower property values, and that the Blossoms are basically insane but also trafficking drugs, right?"

"All of these things are connected, we know that now. Aside from shady business dealings, do you think your parents are hiding anything else, V?" Betty wonders.

"I don't know, I can keep my ears open, though." Veronica responds to her, checking the time on her phone. "We need to get going or we're going to be late for practice."

"Can you lock up, Jughead?" Betty asks, grabbing her bag and standing up.

"Yeah, of course," he replies as she walks over to him, kissing him goodbye.

Veronica is smirking at the sight of them. "Aw, how cute and domestic. Much cuter than when I caught you with your hand up her sweater. Now, Jughead, since we both know you're going to wait around until after practice so you can walk Betty home, just remember there's no flash photography during Vixen practice in case you feel like being a creeper again."

"And now it lives in infamy," Jughead tells her, kissing her once more before sending her on her way.

* * *

"Are you boys still playing video games?" Jughead hears Fred call from the end of the hallway.

"Yeah," Archie calls out in response.

"Dinner in twenty minutes, okay?" Fred yells back and Jughead can hear his footsteps going back down the stairs.

"So, Arch, you ever gonna tell me about what happened with Veronica?"

"What? What do you know?" Archie replies, looking at him warily.

"I didn't know anything until just now," Jughead tells him. "Care to elaborate?"

Archie shrugs and keeps playing the game. "She kissed me at your birthday party. Nothing came of it, she's avoiding talking to me about it."

Jughead relaxed back into the bed he was on. "I wonder why."

"I don't know. I like her but I can't make her like me back."

He tosses the controller to the ground after being blown up again by Archie. "Very adult thinking of you, man."

"I bet Betty knows somethi-"

"Oh no. No, no, no," Jughead interrupts with a glare. "Do not pull Betty into this. Either she already knows something and is keeping it quiet because Veronica asked her to or you'll end up getting her involved and she'll feel guilty if doesn't end the way you want." He thinks about it for a second to consider Archie's options. "You know, if you really want to figure it out, I bet Kevin knows everything. If it ends well, he'll be happy for you and it if you go down in flames he'll be even happier for the drama it'll bring."

"That's true," Archie says, getting up and turning the game and TV off. "Is this where I'm supposed to ask about you and Betty?"

Jughead just stares at him. "Do you want to ask about Betty?"

"Do you want me to ask about Betty?" Archie shoots back at him, looking at him intently.

"Do you want me to want you to ask about Betty?" Jughead questions with a lift of his eyebrow.

"Do you want me to want you to want me to ask about Betty?"

Still staring at him, Jughead is confused. "I feel like you have something to say but you want me to want to hear it."

Sighing, Archie sits back on his bed and looks at him. "I'm happy for you, Jug, that you and Betty are together."

"But?"

"It's just-," Archie starts, "-okay, it's just, I don't know how to say it, man."

"You know, there's this thing I've heard about called talking. You could, I don't know, just say it," Jughead says a little sharply. Anxiety building, he's standing with his arms crossed expecting the worst. Thoughts keep shooting across his brain, each one worse than the last.

 _Does he not think I'm good enough for Betty?_

 _Has he finally woke up and sees Betty the way I see her?_

 _Did Betty say something to him and he's going to verbally destroy me when I think everything is going fine? Because that would suck._

Archie just keeps looking at him. Like he wants to say something and doesn't know how to get the words to come out of his mouth.

Jughead can't take it anymore. "Just spit it out, Arch!"

Archie looks up at him, resigned about what he's going to say. "I've thought about it for a while now, Jughead, and man, I have to be totally honest with you-"

"Dude-" Jughead interrupts him with a look of building anger and irritation. He can feel his blood pressure climbing and his heart pounding and the edges of his vision are going fuzzy with anxiety.

"And I've finally come to the conclusion that I just don't know which one of you I'm supposed to give the 'don't break their heart' speech to," Archie tells him with pitiful eyes. "Is it you because Betty is like my sister? Is it Betty because you're basically my brother? Do I get both of you together and tell you both?"

Jughead huffs out a breath. "You, Archie Andrews, are an asshole."

"Wait, what? Why?"

"I'm going to dinner."

* * *

Walking down the stairs after narrowly avoiding a heart attack, he heads into the dinning room where Mary and Fred are talking.

"How was your day, Jughead?" Mary asks him, handing him plates so he can help set the table.

"It was good," he replies, setting the plates in front of their respective places.

Fred eyes him a little bit. "You didn't come home with Archie, Jug, working late on the paper?"

Jughead holds in a sigh and wishes there were a way to roll his eyes internally. "Yes and no. I worked on the paper until Betty got out of practice then we walked home."

Mary is smiling at him, a beaming one if he were describe it. "Are you ever going to tell us how that happened?"

"Or, I could stab myself in the eye," Jughead says to her with a serious face.

Archie, bounding through the doorway smirks and offers to help out. "Don't worry, Mom. I saw it so I can tell you."

Jughead slumps and closes his eyes, waiting for death. _"Et tu, Brute?"_

Confused, Archie looks at him. "Is that, like, Spanish or something?"

"It's something, alright," is the clipped response he gets from Jughead in return.

Mary distracts him with the food she's setting down. "So, tell me, Archie. I've been waiting for this since all of you were kids. Your dad tells me he even won sixty-dollars in a bet you guys had going on."

"Yeah, Kevin was a really sore loser on that one for sure," Archie says. "Anyway, I was in my room and I saw Jug kiss Betty."

"Death, take me now," Jughead whispers to the potatoes he's been shoveling in his mouth. He straightens in his chair to look over at his ex-best friend. "Didn't know you were such a voyeur, Archie."

"You were in front of the window! With open curtains, by the way."

"It's not like I planned it!" is Jughead's heated response.

Mary's soft laugh distracts him for a second. He looks up at her and she and Fred are grinning at him.

"You never told me why you were over there, you know," Archie continues, a little too happily.

The revenge he was plotting for Archie is getting worse and worse in his head. Little Archies with x's over their eyes are all over his imagination and he's distracted and forgets to filter himself. "Twenty-four hour Alice Cooper rule."

"What?" Fred asks him.

He's buried himself. He has to answer now. _You just wait, Archie,_ he thinks. "It's pretty much what it sounds like, if no one hears from Betty within twenty-four hours after her mom starts yelling, someone checks on her."

Fred snorts a laugh. "I'd love to say how you shouldn't do that but Alice Cooper is...something else."

"Precisely."

Thankfully the subject changes to Archie's music and football games, how their homework was coming along, and other mundane chatter Jughead supposes is natural at a family dinner table. His ears perk up when he hears Fred start talking about the contract for the Twilight land.

"-and they're calling it SoDale," he hears as he catches the end of Fred's sentence.

"When do you start?" Jughead asks.

"Soon, real soon. It's bringing in a lot of jobs, which is good. I know how much you loved the Twilight, Jug, I'm sorry it's gone."

Jughead lets his gaze fall to the table. He's still upset about it but there's nothing he can do now except figure out who started the fire.

"Do you think Veronica figured out why her dad bought the land anonymously, Jughead?" Archie blurts out.

Jughead's eyes go wide. He's looking at Fred's surprised face and Mary's calculating one. He takes a deep breath. _Oh, Archie,_ he thinks, t _his is why people don't tell you secrets._

Fred sets his fork down and looks seriously at Archie. "You're telling me that Hiram Lodge bought the Twilight?"

* * *

Jughead has her pushed against one of the walls of the school after the football game that week. He'd been fired from reporting the games after the last time so Betty had ended up begging Ethel to help out. At least she could be trusted to actually take pictures of the games _unlike some people she knew._

His hands are in her hair and he's kissing her, deepening it until she can feel the soft slide of his tongue on hers. As her arms go around his neck, his hands go to the back of her bare thighs, picking her up and pushing her harder into the wall. She lets out a moan as she wraps her legs around his hips. He pushes firmly against her in response and moves to trail kisses down her neck and she hears him curse softly at the high neck of her Vixen uniform and she giggles at him for it.

"Betty, this is cruel," he says lowly in her ear, tugging her earlobe gently between his teeth.

She shivers and grabs a handful of his hair at the back of his head. "I don't make the uniforms, Jug."

He pulls her up slightly to adjust her thighs higher on his waist. Her legs tighten as he does it, the feel of his hands on the bare part of her upper thigh reminds her of the time they spent together on the night of the Homecoming Dance. Betty arches her back slightly at the pressure the tips of his fingers put on the inside of her thighs.

Bringing her face back to his, she kisses him again, biting his lower lip softly and pulling it into her mouth to lightly suck on it and he jolts against her, knocking his hips into her a little harder than he usually would. She can feel him pressed up against her and the groan he lets out makes her forget where she is for the moment.

Eventually Jughead has the good sense to think about the ramifications of being caught like they are. Betty tries not to let her disappointment show but he looks just as let down as she does. He sets her back down on the ground, letting her adjust her skirt.

"We're supposed to meet Archie, Veronica, and Kevin for Pop's, remember?" he says as he fixes what he did to the collar of her uniform.

"Yeah, I wonder where they are?"

She's checking her phone for messages when she hears Jughead start coughing a little. "What?"

He just hands her his phone silently. Betty takes it to look at the screen. A text from Veronica? Betty looks over him with a confused face and he jerks his chin a little in the direction of the phone in her hand so she looks down again to read the message.

 _Went to meet you after the game, Jug, but it looks like you were already eating._


	16. Chapter 16

Betty hears Veronica whistle as they walk onto the construction site of Fred's new SoDale project. Having Clifford Blossom poach his crew after learning who really bought the land had been a problem that was temporarily fixed. Fred renegotiating his contract after the revelation the week before had been a battle but it had been a battle Mary Andrews had won a few days before flying back to Chicago.

She can see Jughead and Archie tearing down the burnt leftovers of the Twilight, laughing and pushing each other as they joke around.

As Veronica keeps cat calling them Betty sees some of the Serpents that offered to work when asked by FP turn and look directly at them. "V, maybe you shouldn't do that again."

"I think I finally get the appeal of being a sexist douchebag," Veronica tells her, eyeing Archie as he bent over to pick up more debris. "So much to look at, so little time."

"Veronica!"

"I'm kidding, B. I figure it's my right to do it at least once after all the times it's been done to me."

Jughead and Archie both look up as they get closer, Jughead eyeing the Pop's bag in Betty's hand.

"Did you bring me food, Betty?"

"Oh, no, sorry. These are just my leftovers from my lunch with Veronica. You can have them if you want though," she states innocently, holding the bag out towards him.

He's wearing the saddest face she thinks she's ever seen and she can't help but laugh. "Jughead. Of course I brought you lunch."

"What kind of monster…?" he trails off, grabbing the bag and digging into it immediately.

Betty looks around for another familiar face but can't find it. "Where's Kevin?"

Jughead's cheeks are stuffed full of burger and she doesn't think he even looks up when he points towards the other side of the construction site.

"Would you look at that?" Veronica says, handing Archie the bag of food she brought for him. "Kevin found a friend."

Kevin is standing there, talking to a guy maybe a little older than they are in a Serpents jacket. For anyone else, it might not be noticeable that Kevin was in his flirt stance, but Betty could see it immediately.

"He's cute!" she exclaims, excited for Kevin.

Jughead starts coughing, slapping the palm of his hand on his chest to help move what he's choking on. Veronica begins to laugh at him as Archie starts to pound on his back, trying to help. Betty gives him the drink she'd brought for him, noticing his eyes starting to water.

"Are you okay, Juggie?" Betty questions with concern all over her face.

"Scared of a little competition, Jug?" Veronica asks him with a lift of her eyebrow. "Betty, please put your boy out of his misery and tell him you think he's the very cutest puppy in the pound."

Betty's eyes widen, "What? He's cute for Kevin, he's not Moose and that already gives him extra points in my opinion."

Finally in control of himself Jughead adds, "I just swallowed wrong."

Veronica rolls her eyes at him. "And a pig just flew over my head. Now that we're both liars, we can move on." She turns to Archie with a grin. "I'm digging this whole flannel vibe you've got going on, Archiekins. Very construction chic."

Betty laughs at Archie's blush as she stands next to Jughead. "How are you?"

"I'm good. Better now that I have food," he tells her, leaning over to kiss her hello. "I've been starving all morning."

"Jug, I gave you a dozen muffins to share this morning, did you not eat enough?"

Archie cuts in with, "He ate six of them, Betty."

Betty stares at Jughead. "Six?"

"Hey, you said to share and I shared! You never said how many were for sharing. That, Betty, had been left up to me and I made the best possible decision I could."

"You're a bottomless pit, Jughead," Veronica interjects. "I'm starting to wonder if you can unhinge your jaw?"

Jughead gives her an unimpressed look and ignores the bait. "What are you guys up to today?"

"I'm going to see if Cheryl can give me any updates on Polly. It's killing me not to know how she is and I still have to pretend I don't know anything in front of my parents," Betty answers, starting to clench her hands in anxiety and frustration.

Jughead looks down and catches her at it. She sees him look over at Archie and Veronica who have moved are quietly flirting off to the side. He grabs her hand and pushes his thumb between her palm and fingers. She's trying to relax her hand but she's been doing it all morning. Betty can tell right away that he can feel the damage she's inflicted on herself.

He looks at her with concerned eyes. "Betty."

Her eyes start to water and she just shrugs at him with no explanation. Mostly because she'll cry if she talks and because she doesn't have anything she can possibly say about it.

Jughead pulls her to him and wraps an arm around her. "It'll be okay," he whispers into her hair, tugging her into him and she lays her head in the crook of his shoulder.

She can feel him running a hand up and down her back as they stand there quietly, listening to Archie and Veronica talk.

"Betty? Are you okay?" Veronica asks her.

She turns her head to look at Veronica and gives a slight nod. She just wants to know her sister is still okay and she's so tired of pretending with her parents.

Veronica doesn't look convinced. "Come on, say goodbye to your boy toy so we can go find Cheryl and then regret it for the rest of the day."

"Boy toy? Really?"

"I was going to make a Hungry Hungry Hippo joke after last weeks little Betty buffet you were enjoying but I chose to let it slide. Today, though, all bets are off," Veronica tells him.

"Let's go, V," Betty says, leaning up to kiss Jughead goodbye. "I'll see you later, okay? Be careful. Oh, and tell Kevin hello from us, I don't want to interrupt him. Bye, Archie."

Archie just waves his burger at her, concentrating on eating. Jughead tells her goodbye with the rest of his burger halfway to his mouth and already back in the bag for more fries.

"You know, I really do think if he tried hard enough, Jughead could totally unhinge his jaw," Veronica states quietly as they walk back off of the construction site.

* * *

Jughead is exhausted. All of his nerve endings hurt and he's pretty sure he pulled something he had planned on using in the near future with Betty. Lift with your legs is only good advice if you follow it as it turns out. Trudging up the stairs after their day of helping Fred, he slowly makes his way to the room he's been sharing with Archie. It's already getting dark and no lights are on yet when he's distracted by the sight of Betty in her room.

 _Don't stare like a creeper,_ he thinks. He's about to turn away like a decent human being when he notices she's pulling her shirt off, leaving her in a bra and jeans and it looks like she's talking to someone.

His first thought is _Jesus, how often does she do that in front of an open window where Archie can see at any time?_

His second is _Don't be a jealous asshole, she's allowed to do what she wants in her own room._

His third is _Who is she talking to with her shirt off?!_

He should move, he knows that but he's stuck watching his girlfriend walk around without a shirt and he's honestly surprised he can still blink. He relaxes when Veronica comes into view. _Thank god,_ he thinks.

That is, until she turns Betty around and starts adjusting the straps of the bra she's wearing. _Do girls do that sort of thing for each other? I know this makes me a jerk but I swear if Veronica touches Betty's breasts before I do, I'm going to be more than a little bitter about it._

Veronica turns her around by the shoulders, looking at Betty's chest and nodding at her. Grabbing a different shirt, Betty puts it on and looks at herself in the mirror on her vanity. He can see she's talking animatedly about something and he finally breaks his stare to find what he originally came into the room for.

With a handful of clean clothes he heads into the shower and is struck by the memory of Betty at the river when they were fourteen.

 _ **July 2015**_

 _Jughead and Archie are already at Sweetwater River when Polly shows up with Betty, carrying towels and a bag he knows is full of sandwiches and probably even more sunscreen than sandwiches. He waves at them from his place in the water, starting to head towards them. He's halfway there when he sees Polly pull out the sunscreen and Betty is taking her old t-shirt off and her jean shorts fall to the ground after she unbuttons them. She turns so Polly can put the lotion on her back and for the first time in his life, Jughead is struck dumb._

 _The first thing he notices is legs. He knows she's taller than she was last year but he didn't realize that the only thing that seemed to grow was her legs. As his eyes travel up he sees her swimsuit isn't the one from last year, no, this one is white with a tie around the neck, a tie that seems to be making her chest more visible than he's ever seen it._

 _Not knowing how to respond he just turns around and walks back into the river where Archie is still floating on his back._

 _It takes another ten or fifteen minutes before Betty makes her way into the water with them and he's trying to act normal but Betty is jumping around with them, laughing and splashing water each time Archie throws more water in her face. Jughead declares himself hungry and Betty tells him she made his favorite sandwich and it's in the bag by her towel._

 _Sitting on the towel, eating, helps him clear his head where he can at least concentrate again. He can hear Betty yelling something to him but he can't make out the words. Jughead gets up to walk closer so he can hear, walking down the crooked path that leads to where she is when he notices she's walking out of the water, at a slight jog to catch up to where he's at, when he feels the impact of something immovable._

 _He walked into a tree._

 _He actually walked into a tree._

 _He can hear Archie laughing loudly from the edge of the river as Betty hurries her pace to see if he's okay._

 _"Juggie! Are you hurt?" Betty asks, looking to see the bark of the tree cut his shoulder._

 _He's standing there miserable but tells her, "No, it's fine, I just wasn't looking where I was going."_

 _"I was going to tell you to put some sunscreen on, remember the sunburn you got last year? You looked like a flaky lobster for a week," Betty reminds him, scrunching her nose up in memory of it. And it was gross, he burned bad enough for his skin to peel after it finally stopped hurting._

 _"Come on, I'll help you before I eat, okay?"_

 _The memory of her jogging towards him, legs moving, chest bouncing is going to be stuck in his head forever. And now she's going to put her hands all over him._

 _If he hadn't walked into a tree he might declare it one of the best days ever._

Standing under the running water, Jughead shakes himself out of that memory. At fourteen he thought he'd never top that day but then he thinks about kissing Betty for the first time in her room and kissing her in the Blue and Gold office. Kissing her in the treehouse and her on his lap in both the treehouse and in Archie's garage. Every memory with her is becoming a new favorite.

He groans as he looks down at the predicament he's put himself in. Hoping no one notices he's suddenly taking a much longer shower he replays all of his recent memories of Betty in his head, thinking about her hand _finally_ replacing his on himself.

* * *

Betty's sitting despondently in the locker room thinking about the last few days. After trying and failing to get Cheryl totally alone to ask about Polly she finally managed to do so right after Vixen practice. _Not that anything came of it,_ Betty thinks sadly.

 _"Cheryl," Betty starts, "how is Polly doing?"_

 _"What part of keeping you out of it did you not understand?" Cheryl questions with her arms crossed and ambivalent look on her face._

 _Betty looks at her in confusion. "Wait, I've already seen Polly and you've told me the whole story, I'm pretty sure that makes me involved, why can't I know how she's doing?"_

 _Cheryl tilts her head at her like she can't believe she has to explain herself. "I took you to Polly so you'd stop sticking your Nancy Drew nose where it has no business being. You saw her, she's fine, the end."_

 _"But-" is all she gets out before she stalks off leaving Betty confused. Why is Cheryl withholding innocuous information? It has to go deeper than her just being a bitch over Polly._

* * *

Jughead finds Archie and Veronica sitting in the Andrews living room, talking lowly. "What's going on?"

Archie looks up at him, a little startled at the interruption. "Oh, hey, Jughead."

"Where's Betty?"

"At home. She managed to get Cheryl alone after basically hunting her down for days and she won't tell her anything about Polly," Veronica informs him.

Jughead can't think of a single reason that justifies Cheryl not telling Betty about Polly. "Why?"

"Cheryl didn't really elaborate, just that they're still keeping Betty out of it," Veronica tells him.

"But Betty is already involved. In fact, she might have more pieces of all of it than they do."

Veronica stares at him with apprehension in her eyes. "What if she doesn't though? What if they know something we don't? If they do and it's something that can get Betty hurt, then I don't think she should start pushing Cheryl over it."

"This isn't the case of the mystery meat in the cafeteria, Veronica, this is Betty's sister. _Her family._ It shouldn't even be up for negotiation, she has a right to know what's going on," Jughead snaps at her.

"If this is about Betty's safety, then maybe she doesn't always have to know everything going on," Veronica snaps back, standing up to face him.

Jughead's anger grows as he crosses his arms and responds, "Don't you think, that maybe, Betty should know everything because her safety is in question? You really think she should walk around not knowing what could possibly happen to her?"

"Not if Betty knowing everything would send her marching off into something that could get her hurt, then no, maybe it's better she not be aware of every step someone else is making!" Veronica shouts at him.

Archie is standing up now, looking concerned. "You guys, come on, calm down."

"Not knowing what's going on is just going to make Betty spiral, Veronica. I know you think you know her better than we do, but you don't," Jughead says firmly with an edge that implies Veronica is on dangerous ground.

"Ronnie, Jug, come on, let's-" Archie interjects as he tries to play mediator.

Veronica is staring at him with fire in her eyes. "I know just as much as you do about what's been going on with Betty about Polly, Jughead. We don't actually spend all of our time extolling your virtues when we talk."

Jughead rolls his eyes at her. "That's cute, Veronica, that you think a couple of months of bonding is going to somehow measure up to how well I know Betty."

"Archie has known her just as long and he agrees with me, Jughead! Betty might get hurt. Hell, you might get hurt. The two of you don't need to act like bulldozers over everything you get nosy about."

Looking at Archie, betrayed, he asks him, "You can't think that, Archie? You know what this is doing to Betty."

Archie's shoulders slump as he stands there and closes his eyes in resignation. "What I know, Jug, is that if either you or Betty got hurt, it would hurt everyone around you. And for what? Information? Betty knows Polly is fine, Cheryl would tell her if something happened."

"I can't believe the two of you. Where is this even coming from? You want Betty to back off _after_ you've involved yourself? Do you know how suspicious that sounds?" he questions Veronica angrily.

Veronica throws her hands in the air in exasperation. "Not everything is a conspiracy, Jughead! I am prioritizing Betty's potential safety over the solving of some mystery that is way above your paygrade."

"If you knew-" he starts but cuts himself off. He shakes his head at them in disappointment. "I understand you're looking out for her but she needs this."

"Why?" Archie asks him, concerned. "What do you mean?"

Jughead looks past Archie to a point behind his head and thinks about all of the times Alice Cooper took all of Betty's control, the way teachers and friends have used her sweetness to their own benefit, how the burden of expectations on her keep her up at night. The way her hands curl up into fists because it's the only outlet she thinks she has. They just don't get it and it's not his right to share Betty's pain with them. "Have you told Betty this?"

Veronica looks guilty. "No, I haven't."

"You need to either tell Betty about how you feel or whatever it is you're hiding because I don't believe for one second that there isn't something else going on and then leave her alone about it when she ignores you and keeps doing what she's doing. And she will, believe me. Or you need to suck up whatever it is bothering you and support her the way she would support you," Jughead tells Veronica with a passive face.

Veronica looks pained. "Jughead...I want Betty safe, okay? I love-"

"I loved her first, Veronica! And if you think that somehow you love her more or that you're even capable of loving her like I do-" he stops suddenly and turns to walk out of the house. He's angry that he just told someone else how he feels before Betty knows how much he loves her.

He wants Betty to know he's on her side, no matter what. The way she always chooses him is the way he's always going to choose her.

* * *

There are no cars in the Cooper driveway but he still takes no chances with just walking in so he texts Betty asking if he can come up to her room without his head being taken off three steps into the house.

 _Come on in, no one is home._

He relaxes at her reply when another comes through. _And I doubt my mom would kill you, Jughead._

He texts back as he's opening the door. _Do you have that in writing?_

The response hits as he starts up the stairs. _And here I've been thinking you were brave this whole time._

He opens her bedroom door to see her sitting on her bed, hugging a pillow. "Of course I'm brave, Betts. But there's the sort of brave where you face your fears and then there's the kind of brave where you fight a bear bare handed after punching its cub in the nose. Guess which category I place your mother in?"

She's laughing at him and he's glad to see her smiling but her smiles drops just as fast as she tells him, "I didn't get anywhere with Cheryl. She won't tell me anything."

"Veronica told me," Jughead replies, leaving out everything else they discussed. If Veronica wants to tell Betty to back off, she's going to have to do it herself. Sitting next to her on the bed, he takes off his hat and he takes one of her hands in his. He flips it over to look at her palm and the marks are red, fresher than they should be. "Betty, how do we fix this?" he asks, running his thumb along her palm around the edges of the cuts.

She shakes her head at him. "I don't know. I could wear mittens?"

He smiles at her suggestion. "Very fashion forward. You could start a new thing."

"I'm not sure the appeal would catch on," she tells him.

"I don't know, mittens could become pretty sexy if you're wearing them," he says, leaning forward to kiss her.

"Do you have a yarn fetish?" Betty asks him, trying to maintain a serious face.

Jughead considers this as he puts his arms around her and leans them both back onto the bed. "Hey, no judgment. One grandma's hobby is another man's passion."

"You're ridiculous," she laughs out at him. Her face turns somber as her laughing trails off. "I'm tired and stressed out, Juggie."

"I know you are."

She tilts her face up towards his from her place on his shoulder. "I'm not going to stop, though. Not until Polly can come home."

He pulls her in tighter as he breathes out the tension he's been holding onto. "You wouldn't be you if you did. And that is why I love you, Betty."

Betty's eyes widen as she sit up quickly with a wide smile of her face. Her mouth parts a little like she's going to say something but nothing more than a little gasp of a sound comes out.

"I love you, Betty Cooper." And he does. He feels like he finally knows what it means when they talk about love as this great, overwhelming thing. It's a terrifying knowledge to know there's someone in the world that you don't think you can live without but Jughead thinks it might also be the safest he's ever felt.

Smiling happily at him, Betty reaches out and touches his face. "Jughead Jones, I love you."

He hopes Betty doesn't notice the wetness in his eyes as he smiles at her and tackles her to the bed. They're both laughing as he presses kisses to her lips and cheeks. It becomes something more within seconds, his hand on her neck, pushing her jaw up so he can get better access to her neck. He's holding her face firmly, keeping it still as he makes his way down and over throat, biting soft kisses into her as she breathes out heavily. He thinks he hears a whispered yes from her but as soon as he gives it thought he moves a little to the side and one of his legs slips between her thighs.

Surprised he goes to move his leg back and as he does the pressure he inadvertently puts against the apex of her thighs causes her to jerk a little, grabbing him tighter, keeping him in place.

Jughead looks at her with wide eyes and she's trapping his leg between hers, staring at him nervously. He pushes his thigh against her again and her breath hitches at the feel of it. It's enough for him to lay himself back over her, kissing her again as he repeats the movement until she grabs the hem of his shirt, pulling at it impatiently. He sits up to help her get it off and tosses it to the side when he's struck by a thought.

"Wait."

She's looking at him impatiently with flushed cheeks and messy hair, biting her swollen lips in anticipation. "What?"

"Where are your parents?"

Betty relaxes back on her bed again. "They're at some journalism professionals dinner, they won't be back until late."

Jughead lets out a sigh of relief. "Thank god."

Laying back on top of her, he starts to suck lightly on her pulse point and as his hands are moving to pull her shirt up she's the one who stops and says, "Wait!"

"What?" His eyes are wide and anxious.

"We should lock the door just to be safe."

He grins at her. "I don't think that's quite what they mean when they preach safe sex, Betts."

"Oh my lord, you're absurd. And when it comes to you and me, I think it's been proven that having locked doors is imperative," she laughs out at him, pushing him by the shoulders to get up and lock the door.

He almost trips over his own feet while kicking off his shoes walking back to where she is on the bed when she's pulling him back onto her reaching for his face when he stops short. "Wait."

"I swear to god, Jughead, this better be good."

"The window, Betty, your curtains are open. Anyone walking by Archie's window can see in here," he tells her with a serious face. Getting up to close the curtains he can feel the nerves settling further into him. Looking at her with her messy hair and rumpled clothes he still can't believe that he's here. He loves her and she loves him back and if that was the only thing she could ever offer he thinks it might be enough.

 _Then again,_ he thinks as he catches sight of the strip of skin between her shirt and waistband, _no it wouldn't be._ He just really, in that moment, in all moments maybe, wants to touch parts of Betty Cooper no one has ever had the privilege to touch before.

"What are you waiting for? An invitation?" Betty asks him and he realizes he's just standing there staring at her.

She sits up as he walks back over to her and she helps him when he goes to pull her shirt off. He tosses it behind her when it's finally free of her arms and he's struck by how beautiful he finds her. He can't stop looking at her, she's not wearing any less than what she was when he accidentally saw her the other day but the intimacy of the moment as she stares at him in nothing but jeans and her pretty lavender bra is making him feel like they're both totally bare in front of each other.

Softly pushing her until she's flat on her back, he crawls over her, pressing kisses to the tops of her breasts, to her shoulders, to each side of her neck until he reaches her lips again, kissing her deeply as he holds himself over her. He can feel her legs move and go around his hips, locking her ankles to keep him in place as she moves against him.

Jughead sits up and back on his knees, breaking the connection of her legs holding on to him. She's looking at him confused until he runs a finger lightly across the soft skin just below her belly button, tugging gently on the zipper of her jeans.

Nodding slowly at him, she lets him unbutton her jeans and pull the zipper down, helping him as he tugs them off her hips, exposing the underwear she's wearing. Standing up to pull them off of her legs and drop them to the ground along with the socks he helped her tug off, he feels a little breathless. If it weren't for the persistent reminder that he's awake by the hard ache in his own jeans he might think it's a dream he's having.

Betty sits up once he's taken her jeans off and reaches behind her to find the clasp of her bra. Once it's loose he helps her move the straps down her arms until she pulls it off completely and he's trying so desperately to keep maintaining eye contact with her but he can't.

He looks down and sighs. _They're perfect,_ he thinks. That was what he should have said in response to seeing her topless for the first time. Instead of telling her how beautiful they are, that _she_ is, that he can't imagine anything better and he wants to put his hands on them, his mouth on them, he wants to feel them pressed against his chest, he just says the first thing that comes to mind. "Oh thank god, I was starting to think these were a myth."

Betty's uncontrollable laughter and the subsequent bouncing of said perfect breasts help distract him from his embarrassment of the moment.

"All breasts, Juggie, or just mine?" she questions.

He looks at her intently. "Other breasts exist?"

The disbelieving smile she gives him with an eye roll is enough to make him smile at her. He reaches over and tugs at the band holding her hair and once her hair falls around her shoulders, he's pushing her back onto the mattress again, finally pressing his naked chest against hers, letting the weight of his hips settle on hers, thrusting a little to help ease the ache of his erection.

The low moan of approval Betty gives him encourages him to push against her harder and faster. The feel of her skin on his is clouding his thoughts, she's definitely the softest thing he's ever touched. Feeling her nipples tighten in response to his movements causes him to shiver and when she pushes him up and over onto his back so she can climb on top of him, it's happened before he even realizes the full ramifications of her position.

She's sitting on his hips, pressing herself against him, her slightly jerky movements making the sound of her uneven breathing more pronounced in the quiet of her room. Betty grabs his hands, putting the palms of his hands on her breasts.

The sensation of the weight of them in his hands causes his breath to stutter out and he looks at her face with questioning eyes.

"Please touch me, Jug," she pleads to him in a quiet voice.

He can't do more than nod and though he's running on instinct it seems to be the right thing when he brushes his thumbs over the hardened nipples, making her jolt slightly at the feeling. She stops moving and her hands fall down to the button of his jeans and she's pulling on it to undo it and the zipper before his brain catches up with his body he's pushing his pants down as she stands up to give him room, he almost forgets to take his own socks off as well. _That's probably not a good look,_ he thinks.

Sitting there in his boxers he's staring at his beautiful girlfriend, thinking how lucky he is as he reaches out for her hand to bring her closer to him. Standing between his thighs, her breasts are at his eye level and he's still looking at her face, letting her lead them where she wants to go.

He can hear the nerves in her voice as she lets her hand drop, to run her hand across him over the cotton of his boxers and the thrill of having her touch him like this sends his nerves into overdrive. Jughead puts a hand on her hip, gripping it a firmly to keep himself grounded as she lets her fingers trail over him.

"Is this okay?" she asks him.

"Yeah," he manages to breathe out.

She moves forward and sits herself on the end of his thighs to keep enough room for her hand to go back and forth unencumbered, she tells him, "Put your hand on me again. Like you did after the dance."

He drops his other hand immediately, letting his fingertips glide over her thigh until he presses his thumb over the fabric like he had that night. His other fingers are toying with the edge of her panties and as soon as he slips them under the cotton he can feel the wet warmth of her. She presses herself into his fingers as he holds her firmly in place with the hand still on her hip.

Distracted by the feel of her movements he doesn't notice she's pushed her hand past the band of his boxes, gently grabbing him fully for the first time. He breathes out harshly, panting at the sensation of her soft and warm hand moving up and down on him.

"Is this right?" Betty asks, eyes full of uncertainty.

He's in some sort of heaven at the feeling of her touching him but the only words he can get out is, "It's perfect, Betty." Her soft smile followed by a moan when he uses his fingers to push her panties aside and start circling her clit with his thumb. She's squirming and her grip tightens slightly on him in response and he jerks under her. Her eyes open and she looks at him as she sucks her lower lip into her mouth.

He nods at her to keep going and gasps out a low, "Just like that."

As they both start moving faster with each other, he's worried about Betty losing her balance so he carefully slides off the edge of the bed slowly, wrapping the hand that was on her hip around her back so she doesn't fall. Once firmly on the floor their movements increase pace again and Jughead can't control himself when he spills himself onto her hand with his head thrown back into the side of the mattress.

Picking his head up, he keeps moving his fingers on her until her free hand comes around to hold onto the back of his neck as she cries out and he can feel her finish with a jolt of her hips and the shuddering of her legs as she brings her face to his to press a kiss to his lips.

Pulling back she lays her head on his shoulder, still shaking, and slowly catches her breath and says, "We are getting really good at this."

He huffs a laugh out. "Yeah we are."

* * *

After cleaning themselves up and getting dressed he figures they have at least another hour before anyone starts asking where he is so he sets an alarm just in case. Laying with Betty in his arms on her bed, feeling relaxed and comfortable is officially one of his new favorite things.

She's picking at the sleeve of his shirt when he can't help but ask her, "You meant it, right?"

He knows she knows what he meant and her movements stop as she looks up at him. "Of course, Jug. I'll probably love you more tomorrow but I don't think it'll ever be less than it is right now."

"What about Friday?" he questions with a smirk.

She rolls her eyes at him and just sighs into his chest. "What's Friday?"

"I was thinking that it could be our first actual date. What do you think?" he answers as he plays with the ends of her hair, pressing a kiss to the top of head.

"I think it sounds great, Juggie," she says and he can feel the shape of her smile through the fabric of his shirt.


	17. Chapter 17

**Thursday Lunchtime**

"Okay, someone tell me what the hell is going on!" Betty yells, slapping her hands down on the table they're all sitting at to eat lunch.

She's looking around at three guilty faces, only Kevin, surprisingly, looks as baffled as she feels. Betty noticed the building tension on Tuesday but let it go as an off day. Wednesday, Jughead asked her to eat with him in the Blue and Gold, effectively avoiding Archie and Veronica. That's not unusual in itself but the fact that he had shown up to walk her to school sans Archie that same morning was suspicious. Trying to talk to him about it was a failure on her part, he insisted he was fine.

She had the same conversation with Archie and Veronica over the last two days as well. They're avoiding Jughead and he's avoiding them and no one will tell her why but now she's pissed off and she's going to find out what the problem is.

Getting upset, she finally looks straight at her boyfriend. "Jughead?"

The tone of her voice must belie her frustration and irritation because he winces before telling her, "We had a disagreement the other day and we haven't resolved it yet."

She's taken aback that not only did all of her best friends -including one she's _dating_ \- have a fight, they didn't tell her about it. "Did you think I wouldn't notice? Because this is obviously a noticeable situation!"

Her shoulders slump a little. Defeatedly she asks, "Are you going to tell me what it's about?"

Looking at all three of their faces tells her they aren't going to. Which means that it's either about her or it's something they don't think she can handle. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath she decides she doesn't want to deal with any of them. "Fine. It's fine. Do you what you guys want, do whatever you want, okay? Just do it away from me."

Gathering her bag she gets up and starts to walk away when she feels Jughead grab her wrist lightly to hold her back.

"Betty…" he says and she can hear the pleading in his voice.

She straightens her spine and pulls her shoulders back and without turning around informs him, "I thought the people I trusted most wouldn't be the ones not telling me things, Jug. Since that's not true anymore, I don't want to talk to any of you."

Pretending her voice wasn't trembling and her eyes aren't watering, she feels him let go of her wrist as she leaves them behind.

* * *

Jughead is livid, staring at Veronica after Betty walks away. "Are you happy, Veronica? I told you to tell her whatever it was your problem is! I said nothing to her about it, to give you time to tell her yourself, to handle it the way you wanted and now Betty is mad at all of us-"

"Not me," Kevin interrupts, looking a little too pleased with himself.

Rolling his eyes at him, Jughead says, "You should go check on her, Kev. Make sure she's alright."

"And you don't think you should be the one to follow your girlfriend?" Kevin asks him with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, I do. In fact, I would love to get up and go make sure she's alright but I can't when she's just going to be mad when I still can't tell her everything is fine and _mean_ it."

Kevin looks at him intently for a moment. "Fine, but you guys need to figure this out, especially if I have to miss it. I want details later from someone," he says walking away in the direction Betty went.

Jughead looks back at Veronica. "Why haven't you told her whatever nonsense you think she needs to know that makes her back off?"

"I'm surprised you didn't tell her immediately," Veronica sarcastically responds.

Jughead recognizes a defense mechanism when he sees one. He doesn't know what she's hiding but he's definitely convinced she's hiding something now. "Out of respect for the friendship you have with Betty, which is important to her by the way, I chose not to tell her. I had thought, wrongly, that you would say something to her right away since you're so worried about her safety. Or is that not what it's really about?"

"You know that it's what it's about!"

"Whatever, Veronica."

Finally looking at Archie he asks, "And you, Archie? Have you told Betty she needs to back off in the name of safety?"

"Jug, come on, man," he mumbles out. "I don't know why you're against telling her she's putting herself in danger. It puts you in danger too, you know."

"She knows she's putting herself in danger. Do you think she doesn't get that?" Jughead informs them both. "She's going to do it _anyway_. That's what you two don't seem to understand. And when she does, and she will, as much as I want her to be safe, I want her to know she can count on me to be there for her. Which is what I expected of you two, though that seems to have been a mistake."

"You know I'd never let Betty get hurt, Jughead," Archie tells him. "Not if I could stop it."

"Then help her, Arch. You know how her mom is, man. Don't try and control her." Getting up, Jughead grabs his bag and the rest of his lunch when he looks at Veronica with stormy eyes. "If you don't tell her by tonight, Veronica, I will. I tried to respect the boundaries of your friendship with her but I'm not going to lose Betty because you're disrespecting the boundaries of my relationship."

He can feel the resignation coming off of Veronica in waves as he walks back towards the school.

* * *

Jughead can hear part of a conversation as he nears the partially open door of the Blue and Gold.

"-so cute, I know, right? His name is Joaquin."

"Did he ask you out?" he hears Betty ask, the excitement clear in her voice and it makes him smile. At least Kevin distracted her for a minute.

"I gave him my number, so we'll see."

Taking a deep breath before he pushes the door open to enter the room he prays he doesn't fuck this up.

Betty turns to look at him and the smile on her face falls as she turns back around, ignoring him.

 _"Ouch,"_ Kevin mouths at him, making a sympathetic face.

Steeling himself, he walks up behind her, leaning forward a little to speak lowly into her ear. "I know you're mad, and you should be, but I'm hoping you'll listen to me before you, rightfully, tell me to go kick rocks."

Betty is silent and he can see her jaw clenching and knows she's about to turn the hands hanging by her sides into fists. He reaches forward quickly and grabs both of her hands into his. By her startled jump he knows she didn't expect him to do that but she doesn't tell him to let go so he keeps holding her hands, looking over his shoulder at Kevin tilting his head at the door suggesting he leave them alone. Kevin nods and leaves them, closing the door behind him.

He turns his head back to Betty, staring the profile of her face. "Betts," he sighs out. "This thing between Veronica, Archie, and me, it's something that they need to tell you themselves, okay? And yes, I'm angry at them right now because I don't agree with what they're trying to do. I wanted them to tell you on their own, alright? Getting between your friendships with other people isn't something I want to start doing but I already told them to tell you by tonight or I'll tell you everything I know."

"What could be so bad that you're fighting with them over it?" she questions him quietly.

Jughead lets a breath out and rests his forehead on the top of her head. "I really need you to let me give them time I gave them to come to you because we both know if you keep asking I'm going to give in."

"That's why I keep asking," she tells him and she can hear the small amount of amusement in her voice.

He grins into her hair at that. "Devious girl."

She shrugs, still facing away from him. He knows the disagreement over the last couple of days has been hard on her. It hasn't been easy on him either but he, at least, knew the reasons behind it.

 _ **Two Nights Ago**_

 _Walking back into the Andrews house after spending a little one on one mostly naked time with Betty had gone a long way with relaxing him. Seeing Archie, however, brought a lot of it back. Sitting in the kitchen with Fred, Jughead bypasses the kitchen in favor of taking a quick shower before trying to find something to eat._

 _"Jug," Archie calls out. "Come on, Jughead, don't be like that."_

 _He can hear the concern in Fred's voice when he asks Archie, "Something happen?"_

 _Resigned to the fact that he wasn't getting his quick shower before talking to anyone he walks back toward the kitchen. He just stands in the doorway with an indifferent look on his face._

 _"What's up, Jug?" Fred questions._

 _"Nothing," he answers. "Nothing at all."_

 _"Hmm," Fred mutters. "You sure about that?"_

 _"Currently? Yes," he replies passively._

 _Fred stares at him then Archie. Leaning back with arms crossed he tells them, "So, obviously something is going on. You boys have only ever fought over a few things in your entire lives -and I don't think who hit who harder with the Nerf swords is an option any longer- so which one of you did what to Betty and who is mad at who for it?"_

 _Archie rubs the palms of his hands over his eyes tiredly. "I did the what to Betty and Jug is the one mad."_

 _Jughead stands there, still passive. "No, Archie, it was you agreeing with Veronica, knowing Betty isn't going to go along with it. That's just going to make her feel cornered."_

 _Fred looks between them, trying to read between the lines. "By your vague answers I take it you consider it none of my business?"_

 _Both Archie and Jughead stay quiet, using silence as the answer._

 _"Alright. Here's the advice you didn't ask for: Archie, Jughead is going to take Betty's side so agree to disagree or, I don't know, fight to the death at dawn. Just don't forget to feed Vegas before you go," he tells them as he leaves the kitchen, heading towards the living room._

 _Staring at Archie, Jughead just shakes his head and turns around to head back to the stairs._

Wrapping his arms around her with her hands still in his, he feels her lean back into him. "How long are you gonna stay mad at me?"

Betty lays her head back on his chest, under his chin. "I don't know, how long are you usually mad at me for?"

"I think my all time record might have been five minutes."

Betty scoffs at him. "Five minutes? You didn't talk to me for a whole day when I said the pink Power Ranger was better than the red one."

"There is a slight chance I knew if you thought I was really mad you would bring me my favorite cookies, so, really, the five minute record stands," he tells her, tightening his arms around her.

"That's emotional blackmail by cookie, Jughead. How can I ever trust you again?"

Sighing loudly and dramatically into her hair he lets her go, turning her around and placing his hands on her shoulders. "This might be the end then, Betty."

"Ah, well. We had a good run," she agrees.

Smiling and leaning forward to place a kiss on her forehead he murmurs to her, _"I love you."_

Betty looks at him with an expression that he thinks looks like she's internally debating where to dump his body and just says, "The jury is still out today on how I feel, ask me later."

"I have it on good authority that you said you'd love me more than you did Monday," he states a little smugly.

Glaring at him, Betty pulls on one his suspenders hanging off of his hips to throw him off balance. "Verbal contracts are hard to prove without witnesses, Jug."

He laughs and pulls her into his arms again. "And to think you made fun of my yarn fetish when you're over here wishing you had witnesses for what we did."

"You're awful and I hate you," she says with a sniff into the edges of his coat.

"Yeah, yeah, I hate you too."

* * *

Veronica finds Jughead alone in the Blue and Gold office after school. She knows Betty will be in the locker room getting ready for practice and she only has maybe ten minutes before she's unforgivably late in Cheryl's opinion.

He's sitting at a desk, hunched over his laptop, typing quickly with headphones on. Walking quickly to where he's at she makes sure to kick the leg of his chair lightly to make him look up.

He doesn't look pleased at all. Well, neither is she so they're even.

"What are you doing here?" he asks with an irritated tone.

"Look, Jughead, you don't have all of the facts and you did a good job of pushing my back to the wall on this one," she tells him. "So just, be quiet and listen now, can you do that?"

He sits back, looking at her skeptically for a moment before making a hand gesture that she should continue. So she does, quickly and quietly she tells him everything.

 _ **Monday Afternoon**_

 _Veronica chases after Cheryl as Betty sits down in the locker room, looking a little broken._

 _"Cheryl!" she shouts at her as she catches up, pulling on her arm to turn her around._

 _"Is there a reason you're touching me, you Park Avenue reject?" Cheryl asks her, brushing Veronica's hand off of her._

 _She rolls her eyes at her then crosses her arms to stare Cheryl down. "What's the real reason you won't tell Betty how Polly is? Come on now, we both know it has to do with more than her safety."_

 _"Are you implying I'm not worried about my dear cousin's welfare?"_

 _"I'm telling you I know a game player when I see one. So, Cheryl, what's your game?"_

 _Cheryl moves closer to Veronica, smirking. "You need to get your Betty Crocker BFF to back off. Taking her to Shadow Lake was a favor to Polly. And it's one I have no plans on repeating, especially if Barbie and her very own Ponyboy do **anything** that might put JJ and his babies in jeopardy."_

 _Considering this and starting to worry about how involved they all are now she lets her arms fall and relaxes her stance._

 _"And just think about what your daddy would think and, possibly do, if he finds out some high school girl with a savior complex and a lapdog boyfriend is getting in the way of his plans," she tells her._

 _Flipping her hair behind her shoulder, Cheryl walks past her leaving to her thoughts. And new fears._

Jughead is looking determinedly at the desk in front of him. "Do you think your father would hurt Betty? Or me? Archie? Even you?"

"Me? No. The rest of you? I want to say no, I really do, but I can't trust him anymore, even in prison he's buying land and hiring gangs. And that's just what I know about."

"You still need to tell Betty, I'm not going to keep quiet after the sun goes down, okay? Betty forgives a lot and I'm not trying to push the limit on it so I will tell her if you don't."

Giving him a stiff nod, Veronica turns around and heads back towards the locker rooms to get dressed for practice.

* * *

 **Late Thursday Afternoon**

"Bettykins," she hears Veronica saying to her as she's getting ready to leave after their River Vixen practice.

Turning around she look at Veronica, who looks nervous. "Yeah?"

"Can you come with me to the Blue and Gold so we can talk?"

Betty is apprehensive but nods as she starts to follow Veronica out of the locker room and down the hallway to where the office is.

When she enters behind Veronica, she can see Jughead is still there, working on an article and probably waiting for her. He looks up and over at her, giving her a smile before going back to what he was doing once he spots Veronica as well.

Taking a stabilizing breath, she turns to her friend, ready for an explanation. "Go ahead, V."

Closing her eyes for a moment, Veronica looks like she's steeling herself. "Betty, I want to know first and foremost that I love you-"

"That's an ominous start," she interrupts and hears an amused snort come from Jughead.

"Yes, well, it's the truth. This thing with Polly? It's getting dangerous. I'm worried that you're going to upset the wrong person and end up with a target on your back. Finding where Polly was? Knowing the truth of the situation? You know that now, can't we let the authorities handle the rest of it?"

"The authorities that tried to arrest both Jughead and his dad with no evidence?" Betty answers derisively.

Veronica is wringing her hands with a pained look. "B, if you keep digging and you dig straight to my father, I have no doubt he'll try and come harder at your parents or even at you. Jughead. Archiekins. If he can use something against you, I'm worried he will."

Betty looks over at Jughead who is pretending not to listen. "And you, Jug? Are you worried?"

Jughead starts to slowly nod as he says, "Of course I am, Betty. And I should be. But that doesn't mean I won't follow you into whatever you're going to walk into."

Eyes moving back between Veronica and Jughead she considers what they're saying. And maybe they're both a little right. Impulsivity has its place and she's very good at acting on her emotions. You can't be one step ahead of the game if you're blundering your way through the board.

Fidgeting with nerves, Veronica is shifting her weight back and forth between her legs as Jughead starts bouncing his leg the longer she's silent.

"Okay."

With a stunned face, Veronica just asks, "Okay?"

Betty nods, crossing her ankles as she leans back on the edge of a desk. "Okay. The best plays are the moves no one sees coming, right? So, as far as anyone is going to know, I'm not playing anymore."

"You don't think that's still a little dangerous?"

"Sure it is. But I'm not going to stop and this is my best offer. I'll figure out how to be more subtle and the two of you will stop fighting."

Leaning back into his chair Jughead stretches his arms over his head. "I can do that." Shooting a look at Veronica he questions, "Can you?"

Scoffing at him, she replies, "Of course I can."

Jumping up and clapping her hands once Betty exclaims, "Great!" then putting a more serious expression on her face she tells them both, "The next time you two have a fight it better be a better reason than this. This one was ridiculous."

* * *

 **Friday Afternoon**

Betty can see Archie headed her way, a disturbed expression on his face. When he reaches her, he just grabs her hand and leads her to a secluded corner.

"What's up, Arch?"

"You remember how you said that some of the football players were the ones selling drugs here?" he asks.

Furrowing her eyebrows she answers, "Yeah, we didn't know who though, we just got a tip that it was definitely the football players."

Archie lets his head fall back before he looks down at her again. "It's Reggie. I saw him dealing after lunch as I was going to class."

Betty is surprised but not shocked. "You're sure?"

Nodding at her, Archie says, "I'm sure. Very sure."

Sighing loudly at the stupidity of Reggie Mantle she tightens the hold she has on the books in her hands. "Don't tell anyone you know, okay?"

"Even Jughead?"

"What? No, of course not, you can tell Jughead."

"Alright. I'll see you later, Betty," he says as he turns around and heads back from the way he came leaving her to her thoughts.

 _Oh Reggie, you're dumber than I thought._

* * *

 **Friday Night**

Jughead is nervous. He doesn't know if it's normal to be nervous taking your established girlfriend out on an actual date when you've had your hands on most parts of her while naked but he's still full of anxiety.

And though there isn't much to actually do in Riverdale aside from the Bijou and Pop's, it's still more than hanging out with Betty, it's a _date_ and that comes with expectations. He's not sure what sort of expectations, but they're there just the same.

Standing outside of Betty's front door, trying to talk himself into ringing the bell, he's reevaluating every point of his life that is leading him to actually stand in front of Alice Cooper and tell her he's here to take her youngest daughter out on a date.

Does it matter that they went to the dance together? No. That's an occurrence that's happened plenty over the years. This is totally different. Dating means kissing and touching and everyone _knowing_ you're doing it. The idea that her parents will know he's kissing Betty is only slightly less scary than the fact that he's going to look them in the eye and immediately think, _I know what your daughter's face looks like when she comes, did you know that?_

The goal, however, is to _not_ blurt that out.

Finally knocking the door it takes about ten seconds before it opens, an unimpressed Alice Cooper looking at him.

"Hey, Mrs. Cooper, is Betty ready?" he asks, trying not to fidget under her stare.

Opening the door further to invite him in she tells him, "She'll be down in a minute." Turning to him, staring at him unflinchingly she excels in what she does best; making him uncomfortable. "And where are you taking Betty tonight?"

"Uh, just to the Bijou. And Pop's."

Staring at him in silence after he answers he almost falls to the ground in relief when he hears the sound of Betty running down the stairs.

"Mom, I already told you where we were going," she announces as she hits the last step.

Jughead sees her in her pretty pink skirt and gray sweater with her hair around her shoulders smiling at him and he relaxes just enough to forget that he's being stared at by her mom. He's about to say she looks beautiful when his train of thought is interrupted.

"I expect you to have her home by curfew, Jug-Head."

He jumps the slightest bit, a thing he will deny until he dies, and turns to answer her. "Of course, Mrs. Cooper."

And though he's pretty sure she's seeing if she can actually set him on fire by the way she's glaring at him she lets them walk out of the door without adding anything else. _Thank god,_ he thinks.

Once the door closes behind them he stops Betty to face him. "Here," he says, pulling the hand he had been keeping behind his back in what he hopes was a casual manner to give her the single pink daisy he'd been holding.

Her face lights up in a big smile. "You're sweet, Juggie. Thank you." Taking it and putting through one of the buttonholes on her sweater, they continue down the stairs from her front door and to the movie theater.

Grabbing her hand as they reach the street his nerves are calmer but still making him a little jumpy. "You're fine with a movie, right? I mean, I'm sure we could do something else if you wanted but-"

"Jug, a movie is fine," she tells him. "Besides, where else can I sit alone with you for two hours in the dark knowing no one is looking for either one of us?" She winks at him as she walks faster and ends up pulling him along behind her.

* * *

Settled into the back corner of the theater, she can see Jughead already starting to dig into the popcorn he bought. She's so distracted by being on an actual date with him she's not even sure what movie they're watching. All she knows is it's old, black and white, and right up Jughead's alley.

There is a certain amount of anticipation she has for this outing that she didn't have for the night of his birthday. Sure, she wanted him to kiss her, and he did, but now that they've gone further, she wants him to _really_ kiss her, sitting here in the dark in an empty theater. Betty is starting to think he's not going to be the first one to make a move, most likely either actually watching the movie or trying be respectful when all she really wants is him to put his mouth places she knows would get her arrested for public indecency.

Rolling her eyes at seeing him staring at the screen she finally gives in and grabs his hand. He immediately links his fingers with hers which is sweet and any other time she'd be a little melty at how oddly affectionate he is with her for someone who makes you think they're the human version of barbed wire.

 _"Jug,"_ she whispers in his ear.

He looks at her, confused." _What?"_

How can someone be so aware at certain times and then be so dense at others? With a small sigh, she tugs on the hand she's holding until he has to lean towards her. His eyes light up in recognition and setting the popcorn he had in his other down before turning all the way to her, gripping the back of her neck with his hand and bringing her face to his, kissing her softly before she feels him deepen it, the soft slide of his tongue on hers encouraging her to move forward into him.

The armrest of the seat between them is digging into her ribs but she hardly pays it any mind as she reaches one hand to rest on his leg as the other lets go of the hand she was holding and putting it on his shoulder blade to hold him in place. She can feel his now freed hand run up her leg under her skirt, not too high, but just enough to get a good grip on her inner thigh and make her breath hitch in anticipation.

Spending two hours making out in a dark movie theater might be the most relaxed she's been in weeks. Smiling into the last kiss he presses against her lips as the movie ends reminds her what it's like to have fun again.

* * *

Jughead walks Betty home after the movie, after Pop's, and after a quick stop swing on a swing set because Betty wanted to swing and who was he to refuse?

Making sure he can't see anyone (namely Alice Cooper) peeking out of the curtains of the windows in the front of Betty's house he kisses her goodnight one last time. Just as she's about to go inside he tells her, "You know, this is the best first date I've ever been on."

Smiling she responds, "Yeah? Me too."

"Then again, you know," he says, putting his hands in his pockets, "this is my first date ever so there's that."

Betty laughs at him, turning the doorknob as she pulls the slightly crumpled daisy from the buttonhole she put it in hours ago. "Good to know I set the bar high, then."

"The highest."

"Goodnight, Jug."


	18. Chapter 18

Betty makes sure that when she "bumps" into Reggie, she slips the note she's carrying into his pocket.

"Damn, Cooper, if you wanted to touch me, all you had to do was ask," Reggie leers at her.

Rolling her eyes she gives him an unimpressed look. "No thanks."

Stopping her from moving forward by putting his arm around her he tells her, "If you want, I can dress like a less angry Donnie Darko if that's what's getting you off these days."

"Gross," Betty says, pushing his arm off of her. "Don't touch me."

"You ran into me if you remember, I'm thinking you're just subconsciously trying to find a real man after settling for a more angsty Wednesday Addams," Reggie states obnoxiously.

She can see Jughead in her periphery looking irritated. Betty knows he's holding back from involving himself, like she asked, so she needs to shut this down. "I think, Reggie, that not only would I rather _"find"_ Jughead, I'd willingly do it in the middle of the football field during a game before I'd ever even let you so much as grab my ass."

Betty turns to leave and she can see Jughead trying to hold in his laughter, leaving Reggie behind her with a shocked face.

"Does this mean I have ass grabbing privileges?" Jughead asks her, taking her hand as they walk down the hallway.

"Only on Tuesdays."

"I'll mark it in my calendar, Betts."

Turning to him to stop him, she leans closer to whisper in his ear, "Do you think he'll show?"

He settles his hand on the curve of her neck, pulling her slightly closer so he can answer while making it look like PDA he tells her, "If he checks his pockets, yeah. Let's hope he's old enough to not have mommy still doing everything for him.

Giggling into his neck, she breathes out, "This better work."

"It's you, how could it possibly fail?"

Meeting his eyes, she thinks about the last few days that brought them to where they are now.

 _"Do you have the camera ready?" Betty asks Jughead, looking around the corner of the hallway._

 _Jughead pulls the camera strap from around his neck, taking it in his hands to be ready at a moments notice. "Yeah."_

 _They had spent the last few days finding out if Reggie was showing a routine, especially one that looks suspicious. He is actually sort of obvious about it once you start looking but no one is looking for a popular football player to be dealing drugs. He takes too long to get from class to class, stopping to talk with random people. He spends too much time after football practice in the locker room. Hanging out in the parking lot after school should be a dead giveaway but he's a privileged student from the Northside of Riverdale, drug dealers are supposed to look shady; wearing leather and sounding like GED failures who can only do the math portion of the test because they need to know that they're not being shorted cash while dealing._

 _"Here he comes, get ready," Betty whispers._

 _Putting the camera up to his face, Jughead peeks around the corner to see Reggie handing someone something while taking money with the other hand. Taking multiple pictures in a burst, he pulls his head back around to where Betty is standing nervously._

 _"Did you get it?"_

 _"I think so, come on, let's go see what I got."_

 _They head back to the Blue and Gold office where they load the pictures and compare them with the ones they had gotten over the last week. She owes Jughead big for taking a chance and spying on Reggie while he was in the locker room. Betty is certain that IOU is going to involve either an obscure movie no one but him wants to watch or an orgasm._

 _She's rooting for the latter honestly. Loving him doesn't have to mean loving his taste in the esoteric movies that she thinks people put into these categories of pretension because admitting you like popular movies is the death knell in their aesthetic._

 _Betty thinks it's like art. Take any amount of absurd nonsense and tell a group of people it's refined and deep and thought provoking and you'll get a group of people judging you for not liking something they only like because someone else told them too. Never mind that they'll say the same thing to you if you like something popular._

 _Life imitates art and art is manufactured by the whims of the creators. Sort of a weird circle if you think about it._

 _Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she stares at the computer screen and the pictures Jughead has pulled up. Making a face at what she sees in Reggie's hand she says, "Are those straws?"_

 _"They look sort of like Pixy Stix, don't you think?"_

 _"Yeah, they do. Weird."_

 _So now they have definitive pictures of exactly what Reggie is selling from multiple locations around the school, they need Reggie to meet with them to hopefully get him to tell them where he's getting it from._

 _"What do you think? A bump and drop?" she asks him._

 _"I can do it if you want me to, Betts."_

 _Betty considers it but shakes her head. "With you, he might start a fight. With me, he's just going to be disgusting and he probably won't even realize I've done it on purpose."_

 _Jughead nods at her in agreement. "Tomorrow then?"_

 _"Tomorrow."_

* * *

Heading to lunch later in the day Jughead can feel the weight of Reggie's stare on them as he walks hand in hand with Betty to the tables outside. "He must have found it already."

"I figured as much. Let's just hope he shows up," Betty tells him as they sit down and she pulls her food out, handing him a bag.

"What's this?"

"Look in it, Jug."

Opening the bag and sneaking a look inside he sighs a happy sound of contentment. "Oh, Betty."

She's laughing at him and he sees Veronica narrowing her eyes in confusion. He see her leaning towards Kevin and ask, "What is happening?"

Kevin shrugs, continuing to eat as he answers, "Foreplay."

Archie coughs over a laugh, trying to control himself while Veronica is amused and Betty's eyes go wide.

Betty's face is pink with a blush as she stares at Kevin. "What?"

Distracted, Jughead has his hand in the bag, pulling out the contents. "He's not wrong."

"Jughead!"

Hearing everyone around him laughing he starts to really pay attention. "What?"

"Do you know what you just said?"

Interested in self-preservation he hedges. "I...sort of? I mean, come on, Betty, you made me brownies. Of the cheesecake variety! I can't be held responsible for anything after that.

Betty, looking unimpressed, just huffs out a breath and pulls out her own sandwich. "You're hopeless."

"Maybe. But now I'm hopeless _with_ brownies. So, I still win," he says, putting one of his hands on her knee under the table and giving it an affectionate squeeze.

She just shakes her head and turns to speak with Veronica. "You still wanted to come over Friday night, right?"

Jughead perks up at that. He meets Archie's eyes as soon as he lifts his head from the food he was putting in his mouth.

Veronica must see both of their reactions as she tells Betty, "Of course, B!" A sly expression overtaking her face she leans towards Archie and puts her chin in the palm of her hand. "You can show me the dress you were talking about. Though I doubt it's _too_ revealing up top, it probably makes you look like some sort of ethereal, _mythical_ goddess." Winking at Jughead she immediately turns to Archie to ask him what he's doing that weekend.

Jughead just lets his head fall to the table with a thump. He's happy Betty has a female friend to talk to about stuff she can't talk about with her sister or her mom or any of her male friends. He is.

He's just also currently thinking of ways to get her back for sharing _that_ of all things.

She puts her hand over his on her knee and squeezes it in what he thinks is a silent apology.

 _Oh, Betty, it's gonna take more than that._

* * *

After school, waiting for Reggie in the Blue and Gold office, Betty is trying to piece together a common thread on their crime board. So far Clifford Blossom is the strongest common denominator, he's the supplier. She knows Jason has some pretty damning evidence, at least enough to make Hiram Lodge help him and Polly. Betty knows why her parents are acting so shady, it's not reason enough to her, but she knows her mother values the Cooper image over everything else.

Hiram Lodge doesn't seem to have a thread connecting him to the drug trafficking, just an old feud with the Blossoms and a plan for real estate that no one seems to know the end game of yet.

The sound of the door opening takes her out of her thoughts and she turns to see Reggie coming through the door with an angry look on his face.

"What's this about, Cooper?" he asks with an irritated tone.

Jughead stands up from the desk he was sitting at to walk over to her side. "Come on, Reggie. I think you know."

"You two want to party?" he questions with an disbelieving look on his face. _"You two?"_

Betty makes a face of distaste. "Of course not! I want to know where you're getting it. Whatever _it_ is, anyway."

"They call it Jingle Jangle-"

Jughead snorts out a sharp laugh. "Were they high when they named it?"

Reggie shrugs. "Probably, man."

"You know, for someone who hasn't seen proof we know what you're doing, you sure are chatty," Betty tells him with a doubtful stare.

"Really, Coop? If you're harassing me, I know you got the dirt you need to make me talk so why fight?"

She nods at him, lifting her shoulders in an almost amused agreement. "That's true. So here's what I want from you, I want to know where you get it. And if you know where they get it, I want that too."

Reggie laughs. "You think I know that much? Seriously? I get it from a guy on the Southside. I have no idea where he gets it or if he makes it, I don't care, I just want the product."

"A guy on the Southside?" Jughead asks with apprehension in his voice. She knows what he's thinking and she truly hopes it's not the Serpents if for no other reason than his peace of mind.

"Some member of a gang with a stupid name, the Ghoulies," Reggie tells them with a scoff.

 _"Ghoulies?"_ she mouths to Jughead.

"Must of been high when they named the gang, too," Jughead interjects with an eye roll.

Reggie eyes him with a smirk. "Really, _Jughead_?"

"That's enough," Betty states, walking over to where Reggie is standing. "Look, we have pictures of what you're doing, okay? If you don't want to be expelled, I suggest you stop selling here. If I find out you do, everything I have is going to Principal Weatherbee."

"How kinky of you, Cooper, to be watching me like that."

She starts pushing him toward the door. "First of all, gross. And second of all, we never had this conversation." Once he's out of the door and she's closed it behind her she takes in a deep breath and looks over to Jughead.

"So, we have a lead. One I'm not sure we can actually do anything with, but it's information just the same."

Jughead turns, writing on a piece of paper. Standing up he adds it to the crime board before turning around and meeting her eyes.

"It's more than we had yesterday," she says, staring at the paper with **_The Ghoulies_ **written on it.

He's concentrating on the board when he tells her, "Now to figure out what we're going to do with it."

* * *

Jughead is sitting with his head back and arms crossed on the sofa in the Andrews garage halfheartedly listening to Archie playing one of his new songs when he suddenly announces, "You know Veronica kissed Betty, right?"

Archie looks up, startled. "What? When? Why?"

Shrugging, he just says, "Cheerleading tryouts and I don't know why."

"You're thinking about the fact that they're both in Betty's room right now, aren't you?" Archie asks with a laugh.

Ashamed, he nods at him with a sigh. "It doesn't help that I saw Veronica in her room not that long ago and she was just standing there talking to Betty while Betty wasn't wearing a shirt."

Archie's eyebrows climb up his forehead. "Is that normal?"

"I think so, man. And it's not that I want to be some creep peeking in at girls in their rooms or anything. I'm sitting here _jealous_ of Veronica Lodge," he complains.

Laughing, Archie just keeps playing his guitar. "From what I saw in the newspaper office that day, you've crossed a couple of bases with Betty, Jug. Why be jealous of Ronnie?"

"I can't explain it, Arch. I thought I was better than my base instincts but apparently I'm not. I've become the typical stereotype of our gender."

"Or, Jughead, you're human," Archie says. "And you can pretend that you're not a little possessive but you are, man. If something is yours, it's yours-"

"Betty is not a possession," Jughead interrupts.

"No, but she is _your_ girlfriend and no offense, but since you started dating Betty it's been pretty clear you like to have your hands on her."

"What?"

"Dude, come on, you're touching her like, _all the time_. How did you manage to keep your hands off of her when you weren't dating?"

"Sheer determination," he answers, putting his head back on the sofa cushion again, Jughead closes his eyes, still thinking about Betty in her room. With Veronica. Topless. Thinking about what Archie said because it is true he's a little possessive. He assumes when you don't have much growing up the tendency to aggressively hold on to what you do have increases exponentially.

Hearing footsteps coming towards the garage he assumes it's Fred so he doesn't lift his head up until he hears the voice.

"I hear you like climbing ladders, Romeo."

His head shoots up and his eyes open wide. "Veronica?"

"At your service. To make up for our little...disagreement last week I've arranged for you to spend the evening with my girl while Archiekins takes me to a movie," she announces with a raised eyebrow and a satisfied look.

Archie is confused. "I am?"

"You are. It should be fun, don't you think?" she responds to him. "Now, Jughead, don't you have somewhere to be?"

He's up and off the sofa before she's finished talking. By the time he reaches the door he can hear them laughing at him but he really doesn't care, he's got somewhere to be.

* * *

Betty was standing in front of her closet when she felt two arms wrap around her middle. The arms tightened around her when she jerked in surprise.

"Did you leave the window open for me, Betty?" she hears Jughead whisper into her ear.

Trying and failing to suppress a smile, she leans back into him. "It's possible."

She turns around in his hold, sliding her arms around his neck as she starts walking him backwards to the bed. He lets her push him for a few steps before he holds his ground, looking down at her.

"You know, I have a bone to pick with you-"

"Am I supposed to make that into a dirty pun? Because I-"

He cuts her off by sliding one hand up and into her hair to tug on her ponytail until her head is pulled slightly back. "Did you tell Veronica anything about the last time I was in your room?"

Betty looks up at him, knowing that yes, she did tell Veronica about _certain_ aspects of that day but also that it was too funny not to share. "We both know that I did. But only that part, I swear."

"Only that part? Nothing else?" he questions her in a low tone.

"Promise," she tells him as she tries to walk him backwards again. He's become an immovable force as she lightly pushes on him. Scowling at him a little as she tries one last time she tries for distracting him by pushing her hips into his and it makes him take a half step back.

"What are you doing?" he asks her, holding her still and grinning at her.

Betty huffs. "I am trying to push you to the bed." Letting go of him she starts to turn away. "But if you'd rather stand there then-" she starts to say but yelps when he picks her up and walks quickly to her vanity, setting her on it, pulling at the hem of her shirt, pulling it off before pulling off his own, reaching back and taking hold of her face, tilting it to get better access to her neck, biting softly over the expanse of it, pulling the straps of her bra down her arms until it slips and falls around her waist.

She can feel the weight of his stare on her now bare breasts as he leans forward to kiss her while mumbling, " _So pretty"_ into her mouth. Deepening the kiss, she can feel him running his thumbs across her nipples, making them tighten, causing her to break the kiss with a moan. Grabbing the back of his hair with one hand she pushes his head down until he gets the idea and finally he takes a nipple into his mouth, breathing harshly on her skin as his hand comes back up to hold her in place.

His tongue is running across her skin of her breasts as her legs close around him, pulling him closer to her. Hands are moving to the button of her jeans, almost ripping it open before he lowers the zipper so they can tug them off of her hips together. Without much room to move, she can see Jughead get frustrated right before he picks her back up and walks over to drop her onto her bed.

He's got her on her back before she can finish shimmying off her pants and he takes them the rest of the way down, even ripping off her socks, leaving her in the lacy panties Veronica suggested with the matching bra around her waist. She knows she must look like a hot mess but he's looking at her like he's never seen her before. Just as she goes to sit up and reach for him she hears him say, "Don't move."

He says it in a low tone that sends goosebumps across her skin. She stays put and he's taking off his own jeans, pushing them down his hips and pulling off his shoes, leaving him in his boxers as he crawls between her knees.

Sitting there staring at her, he's making her anxious. "Jug," she whimpers out as she pulls her knees up and together in anticipation.

"I said don't move, Betty," he tells her firmly, putting his hands on her knees to pull them back apart. "I want to look at you."

She doesn't know where this Jughead came from but she hopes he sticks around as he runs his fingers up the inside of her thighs until he reaches the damp lace of her panties. She feels him move the fabric to the side, sliding a finger across her, making her close her eyes and moan loudly.

"Always so, so pretty," she hears him whisper as he holds her leg open with one hand while the other is making circles on her clit, causing her to move her hips to increase the friction.

Grabbing the wrist of the hand holding her leg, she's trying to stay still but he's slowly sliding one finger into her for the first time and her breath catches at the sensation and she can hear him groan at the same time.

"Oh, fuck," he murmurs. "Jesus, Betty."

Picking her head up to look at him, she sees him staring at his hand moving back and forth as she tries to stay still and quiet but failing at both. Suddenly his hand lets go of her leg and he presses his palm on her abdomen to hold her in place.

"Jug, come on," she whines at him, trying to move her hips.

His hand still sliding in and out of her while his thumb rubs circles on her clit, his breathing is faster and all she hears is, "Please, Betty."

She's nodding along with whatever he wants when both of his hands move and she's about to sit up and demand he continue when she feels the first swipe of his tongue on her clit. Her back arches and her legs close around his head as she cries out at the sensation.

Reaching down while trying to relax her legs so she doesn't suffocate him, she grabs one of his hands, interlacing their fingers as he keeps his mouth moving against her, causing her to gasp and moan as she rolls her hips up into his face. Running on instinct her other hand goes to his hair, taking a handful of it to keep herself steady.

He slides a finger back into her and she can't help the loud groan that bursts out of her as she tightens the grip on his hand. She can feel the heat and and the pulsing building up low in her stomach as her legs start to shake and she thinks she might be hurting him with how hard she's gripping him but she can't help herself.

Crying out loudly, one last time, she snaps her legs closed and tries to twist them to the side until the shaking subsides when she remembers Jughead is still between them. Letting go of his hand and hair while relaxing her legs she's worried she's hurt him.

"Oh god, Jughead, are you okay? I'm so sorry!" she yelps at him.

She sees him pulling back and sitting up, looking dazed. "Are you okay?" she asks again.

A smug smile crosses his face as he looks down at her.

"What?" she wants to know. He's just staring at her and smiling. "Juggie."

"That, Betty, is my new favorite meal," he says as he runs a hand along his chin to wipe his face off.

Hot with embarrassment, Betty curls up into a ball and covers her face. _She cannot believe he just said that._

"Even though you rang my bell there at the end," he tells her, crawling up and over her body, pushing her legs down, and moving her hands away from her face. "It was amazing. And didn't I tell you not to move?"

Still flushed and breathless, she nods at him.

"Do you need to be held still next time?" he asks in a murmur next to her ear as he moves over to kiss her lips, sliding his hands across her jaw as he lays next to her.

"Maybe," she answers him, running her hands over his chest. "I'm a mess," she says thinking about her bra around her waist and he panties pulled to the side with her messy hair and swollen mouth.

"Yeah," he agrees, "you are. It's unbearably sexy, you have no idea."

Glancing at his face before running her eyes down the rest of his body she starts to move her hand down to the band of his boxers. He stops her and she looks up at him questioningly.

"Turns out, you getting off gets me off and please don't tell Veronica I came in my boxers without you touching me. I can only handle so much at once, Betts," he tells her, his face turning a little pink at the admission.

Giggling she rolls further into him and he wraps his arms around her. "I promise."


	19. Chapter 19

Running up the stairs to Archie's room after leaving Betty's before her parents got home, Jughead was feeling pretty pleased with himself.

Even if he needed a shower and some sort of self control.

Opening the door to get himself some clean clothes he stops dead in his tracks. First, he's shocked. Then a little horrified. And then, he smiles to himself and pulls out his phone.

"What are you doing in here, Jughead?!" Veronica yells from Archie's bed.

"Winning twenty-bucks," he replies, still looking at his phone screen. "Kevin is gonna be _pissed_ though."

"Out!" she shouts at him, throwing a pillow he easily dodges.

Jughead is laughing and typing. "After all the times you walked in on me and Betty, I think I get this one for free. Besides, Veronica, you're covered. By Archie's sheet, true, but still."

Archie is groaning, covering his face in what Jughead thinks is equal parts shame of being caught and relief it's not his dad who walked in when his phone goes off with a text from Betty.

 _Damn, I was so close too. Oh well._

"By the way, Betty thought you were going to hold out for a little longer, Veronica."

She's glaring at him from the bed when she takes a good look at him. "You're looking way too pleased with yourself. I take it you had a good time?"

"I'm sure you'll find out," he tells her with a roll of his eyes.

Smirking, Veronica says, "That's probably true. Now get out, Jughead, before I kick your ass."

Grabbing the clothes he originally came for, he turns to Archie, who is still pretending to melt into his mattress. "Betty ordered a pizza if you want to join us. But you gotta put clothes on first."

Laughing to himself he's heading to the door when he hears Veronica clear her throat and say, "Headed to the shower, are you? Oh, you must have had a _really_ good time."

Without turning around to admit he's turning an embarrassing shade of horrified he just tosses her a salute with his hand over his shoulder as he leaves the room, listening to Veronica and Archie start to laugh.

* * *

 **Saturday Afternoon**

"Archie?" he hears someone say and he turns his head to see Veronica walking towards them.

"Veronica?" is Archie's response.

He can't control the worry in his voice as he asks, "Betty?" when he sees his girlfriend directly behind Veronica.

"Jughead?" Betty responds to him in surprise.

He's moved between her and the Ghoulie he now knows is called Malachai he had been talking to before he's even realized he's done it. This is not a guy that she should be talking to, he's the kind of guy that has no problem getting physical with girls, especially ones like Betty and Veronica.

"Aw, look everyone, they know each other. Ladies, welcome to our humble abode, but I'll tell you what I told your boys, you're not getting anything from me," Malachai tells them, sauntering closer to them.

He steps further in the way of his access to Betty and tells him, "We're good." Turning and grabbing Betty by the hand he starts to walk out before anyone thinks to stop them. "Let's go."

* * *

 _ **Saturday Morning**_

 _"And just where are you going, Miss Betty Cooper?" she hears Veronica say as she's trying to quietly shut her front door._

 _"Shhhhh!" Betty whisper yells at her._

 _Making a face at her, Veronica follows her down the stairs and out onto the sidewalk. "What's going on?"_

 _Betty looks back to make sure her mother isn't following her before she answers. "Kevin called me late last night after his date with Joaquin-"_

 _"Oh, how did that go?" Veronica interrupts with a big smile._

 _"It was, according to Kevin, 'totally transcendent, who even is Moose Mason?'" Betty tells her. "That's not what he called about though. Turns out, Joaquin knows a lot about the Ghoulies since they're a rival gang to the Serpents. He got the general location of their little, uhm, headquarters? Wherever it is that gangs hang out."_

 _"And this is, I assume, on the Southside?"_

 _Betty nods at her, taking her arm as they start walking. "So I'm going to see what information I can find out on where the Jingle Jangle is coming from. We know it starts with Clifford Blossom, but there is no way he's dealing directly to gangs, that's too risky."_

 _Veronica stops and looks at her. "You're going to the Southside? And planning to do it alone? Where is Jughead?"_

 _Shrugging at her, she says, "I called and texted, he didn't answer. They're not home. Maybe they're helping Fred today at the SoDale thing. I don't really know."_

 _"Why are we walking? Smithers is right over there."_

 _"We?" Betty questions._

 _"Yes. I'm not letting you do this alone, B. I am going to, however, text Archiekins."_

 _"We're not going to take Smithers because I don't think we need the attention of arriving with an actual driver."_

 _Veronica rolls her eyes at her. "We can have him drive us close and drop him off. These heels were not made for long walks to the wrong side of the tracks."_

 _Betty huffs. "Fine. But on the way, I want the details of how you ended up in Archie's bed last night. You were pretty vague about it when we were talking."_

 _Avoiding eye contact, Veronica turns her around and leads her back to where Smithers is waiting. Once inside the car, she turns to her and starts talking. "As you know, I had him take me to a movie."_

 _Nodding, Betty gestures for her to continue._

 _"And after, I don't know, we went back to his place and suddenly there I was in his bedroom, riding the ginger stallion like I'd waited my whole life just to get on a pony."_

 _Giggling, Betty can't control herself. "Oh my god, please call him a ginger stallion in front of Jughead, he will **never** let that go."_

 _"It's bad enough he walked in on us, B! I am not giving him more ammunition."_

 _"You were already done, right?" Betty asks and at Veronica's nod she continues, "Which is better than how you've caught me and Jug on more than one occasion. And you owe me for letting him know what I told you-in confidence!"_

 _"Fine. But you can't tell me things like that and expect me not to mess with him over it. It was too good to leave alone."_

 _Betty just gives her a look that Veronica laughs at while she tries to reach Archie on her own phone._

 _They spend the rest of the drive planning how they're going to find the Ghoulie's, if they even can. With plans to ask around the area that Kevin told her about Betty knows Jughead is going to be mad at her when he figures out what she's done. There are times when you need to jump on a lead as soon as you can._

 _"Jughead is going to kill me for this, Veronica," Betty declares as she slumps further down into the seat of the car._

 _"And me. Archie is not going to be thrilled either. I threw an absolute tantrum at both of them about keeping you out of this and here I am, doing it with you."_

 _"If it helps, you did actually catch me in the act, so really, they might be less mad at you than me," she laments._

 _Veronica raises her eyebrows at her. "Are you serious? Has Jughead ever actually been truly angry with you?"_

 _Shrugging, Betty tells her, "A few times, but it never really lasts long. This time, though, he's going to be pissed."_

 _"So why are you doing it?"_

 _"I want Polly home. Or at least to be able to talk to her when I want to. I want my parents to stop the Stepford routine, which is their normal, but this is like ten times worse than usual. And, to be fair, I'm not leaving him out, he didn't answer the two phone calls or the three texts-"_

 _"Justifying this for yourself in that last part, aren't you?"_

 _"Yeah, I know. He's totally going to make that face at me, you know the one where he looks like he just told you he was hungry then watched as you ate a burger right in front of him-"_

 _"He totally makes that face! It's like he's mad, disappointed, and offended all in one facial expression," Veronica exclaims._

 _Betty sighs and tilts her head back on the seat of the car. "And then he's going to cross his arms and stand there all self righteous and convinced he's right. Only he really will be right this time so that's a problem."_

 _"Distract him," Veronica tells her simply._

 _"With what?"_

 _Smirking at her, Veronica just says, "You'll figure it out, I'm sure."_

 _Finally reaching their destination they get out of the car and walk the few blocks to the shadiest side of town hoping to get their information and get out quickly. Volunteering to ask around Veronica is back within five minutes, making Betty breathe in relief._

 _"This way," she tells her, grabbing her hand to lead them down an alley._

 _"Are you sure?"_

 _"Yes," she says, reaching for a door and knocking. "This is definitely where the guy showed me."_

 _Flirting with the guy who opens the door, Veronica has him leading them into a large room with a pool table and too many tacky decorations when she feels Veronica stop short and gasp. "Archie?"_

 _Betty knows that means Jughead is here. She hears Archie respond and then she hears Jughead say her name. And he sounds mad._

 _This isn't going to end well, she's sure._

* * *

 **Saturday Afternoon**

"What were you _thinking_ , Elizabeth?!" Jughead yells at Betty, pacing across the room, trying to calm himself down.

Betty is standing, facing him with her hands on her hips. "What were _you_ thinking, Forsythe?!"

He can hear a small laugh from Veronica. _Oh right,_ he thinks, _no one told her his real name yet. Great._ "Do you know how badly hurt you could have gotten?"

"Do you know how badly hurt **you** could have gotten?" Betty volleys back at him with a _you wanna go, let's go_ look in her eyes.

Archie's been quiet but Jughead knows he's just as mad. Archie looks to Veronica with an irritated look. "Didn't you just give Betty a big speech about putting herself in danger?"

Veronica is fidgeting, being called out is obviously not her favorite thing. "Archiekins, I just-" she hesitates with a look at Betty, "-okay fine. I caught Betty about to do it alone so I insisted on going with her."

"Veronica!" she shouts, betrayal in her tone.

Jughead is going to die. She's going to kill him. His heart is going to give out, he can feel it happening. And right after trying to remember the statistics of strokes in people under twenty he explodes, **"For the actual sake of fuck, Betty!"**

Betty's face is shocked at the volume and tone of his voice. "Listen here, Jughead-"

"Oh no, I will absolutely not 'listen here', not about this-"

"Is there a reason you're pretending you weren't there with Archie-"

"Do you know what kind of people deal drugs, Betty-"

"Are you telling me that grandmothers who just want to knit aren't the ones selling drugs, I am shocked-"

"Jesus christ, Betty, why are you so difficult-"

"I'm the one that's difficult?" Betty finally screeches at him in interruption. "You, Forsythe Pendleton Jones, the Third, are an asshole."

He closes his eyes in frustration. He knows, _he knows,_ that he is being ridiculous. For every reason he has to be mad, she has the same one. Truth be told, yes, Veronica and Betty together are smarter than he and Archie but physically? He and Archie are the better choices by far.

Aside from their physical size, two attractive girls walking around the Southside, looking too expensive to be there? It's a bad idea. And if he's got to be an asshole to get that message across, then so be it.

"You lied to me, Betty," he states, irritation lacing his tone. "We agreed you wouldn't do this sort of thing alone."

She's standing her ground. "You weren't available!"

"Is there a particular reason you are trying to make it harder for me to keep you safe?" he asks, arms falling from their crossed position. "What, exactly, is your idea of subtle? Because I have to tell you, you're about as subtle as a brick to the face sometimes."

He can hear Archie snickering at that and Betty whips her head around to stare at him. He immediately goes quiet but it still very obviously amused.

"I had a lead and needed to take it and I couldn't get a hold of you, so, I went. Veronica found me and offered to help-"

"Really Veronica? You didn't think to call me or Archie?" Jughead interrupts to ask her.

Veronica raises her eyebrow at him and shrugs. "Like she said, you both were seemingly indisposed. Turns out, you were ignoring our calls to do the _exact same thing we were_."

Taking a deep breath, he tries to relax his shoulders and let some of his anger go. "Do you both not understand what happens to girls that look like the two of you on the bad side of town or is it some sort of willful ignorance on your part?"

"Excuse me?" comes from both girls at the same time. He hears Archie suck in a breath and knows this is going to get worse before it gets better.

"Betty, listen to me, you are smarter than me in almost every conceivable way but you cannot go there looking like the Sandy to some Ghoulie's Danny, okay? I went with Archie to keep you from having to go there, ever."

She's staring at him like she's going to take his head off. "What did I do, Jughead, that makes you think I'm incapable of taking care of myself?"

"And how were you going to protect yourself?" he asks her, standing his ground in the Andrews living room, thanking everything he can think of that Fred has been working six days a week to get the SoDale project back on schedule. "Did you have pepper spray? A taser? I don't remember you taking karate lessons when you were younger, so tell me, Betty, just _how_ you were going to protect yourself."

Betty wilts right in front of him. He knows she knows it was a bad move but she wants to be stubborn about it. And oh, she doesn't disappoint.

Standing up straighter than before she levels him with a glare. "You don't own me, Jughead."

Sighing, he adjusts the hat on his head. "I know that, Betty. But you cannot seriously tell me that I don't have a point. It's not right and it's not fair but criminals do _not_ care about the rights of pretty girls who cross their path. Do you get that?"

"That was...quite possibly the most condescending thing you've ever said to me," she responds, her face a mask of anger.

He knows she might have a point but he rarely thinks straight when he thinks Betty might be hurt. Veronica and Archie are both still sitting on the sofa with frustrated expressions on their faces. They're both obviously mad at the other but seem to be waiting to have it out in private. Which is fine with Jughead, he can only handle so much in one day.

Standing there, he thinks about how they got here.

* * *

 _ **Saturday Morning**_

 _"Hey Arch," Jughead says as he shakes Archie's shoulder to wake him up. He's not used to being awake before him._

 _Grumbling at him, he pulls the pillow over his face. "Leave me alone, Jug."_

 _"No can do, we have something we need to get done."_

 _"Unless it's sleeping, I don't want any part of it."_

 _Jughead smirks. "Are you a little more **exerted** than usual, pal?"_

 _Groaning, Archie tells him, "It's too early for words like that, Juggie. Go away. Go eat or something."_

 _"Nope. Get up, man. We're taking a field trip."_

 _"I hate you."_

 _"That's fine, you can hate me all you want. But you still need to wake up."_

 _Forty-five minutes later they're out the door and headed to the Southside._

 _"What, exactly, are we doing, Jug?"_

 _"We know the Ghoulies are the ones supplying Reggie, right?" he tells him. "I figure the chances that my dad knows who they are is pretty high so we're going to my dad's trailer first."_

 _"This isn't going to end well, man."_

 _And it didn't. Reaching the trailer, his dad was wary but seemed happy enough to see him on a random weekend day. That was, until he told him what he wanted to know._

 _"Why do you even know that name, Jug?" his dad asks him, a disapproving look making him feel five years old all over again._

 _"They're selling drugs that are getting sold in Riverdale High, Dad."_

 _"Okay, so tell the sheriff. Or Weatherbee. You don't need to go messing around with Ghoulies."_

 _Jughead hesitates for a second before replying, "Are you saying you aren't going to help me?"_

 _"Yeah, that's what I'm saying. You do not need to be anywhere near the Ghoulies. They're the worst sort of news."_

 _Jughead just hitches a shoulder in the air, acting like it's no big deal. "Alright. I'll see you later, Dad."_

 _"I mean it, boy. Leave it alone."_

 _"I heard you."_

 _Walking back through Sunnyside Archie asks, "You're not leaving it alone are you?"_

 _With a face that must look like Jughead can't believe Archie actually thought that he answers, "Of course not."_

 _His phone is going off again and he's not ignoring so much as delaying it, he steers them in the direction that takes them farther into the Southside._

 _"Is that Betty you're ignoring?" Archie wants to know._

 _"Ignoring? No. Avoiding? Yes," he tells him. "I don't want her on this side of town, Arch. She'd be like a neon sign, attracting all sorts of lowlifes."_

 _"She's going to be pissed you know."_

 _Jughead nods. "That she will. But she can be mad all she wants as long as she's mad **and** alive."_

 _It takes a few terse conversations with people he never wants to talk to again to get the location of where to buy Jingle Jangle from the Ghoulies. Getting in the door is a little harder, he has to drop names he only learned that morning to even get someone to talk to him. He's in the middle of trying to figure out how he can possibly find out who supplies them when he hears Veronica then sees Betty._

 _And he's pissed._

* * *

 **Saturday Afternoon**

"The worst part, Jug, is that you're standing there, mad, while having had no intentions of telling me about what you were doing. I, at least, tried to tell you."

Guilt eats away at him for a second. "Did you really think I wanted to take you along to the Southside, Betty? To a drug dealer? _Really?_ "

She looks down at that. He knows she knows the answer to that was always going to be no. "And you think I want you to go talk to gang members? I don't. None of this is what I want. I-" she stops and tilts her head back in frustration. "You know what? I don't want to even deal with this anymore."

As Betty moves to walk out of the Andrews door, Jughead reacts quickly. He reaches her in two long strides and wraps his arm around her middle as he picks her up and walks back in the direction of the door leading to the garage.

He'd bet money that if he could see her face, Betty's expression would be a mixture of surprise and anger. Not thinking about what's going to happen when he sets her down he calls out to Archie, "Open the door for me, man."

Jumping up, Archie has a shocked face as he walks quickly to the door to open it for him. "Good luck, Jug."

Betty breaks the silence she's had since he picked her up. "He's gonna need it."

Once inside the garage, he sets her down before turning and locking the door so they can't be disturbed.

A seething Betty meets his eye as he finally looks at her. "I cannot believe you just did tha-"

Pushing her back up against the wall she was standing near he covers her mouth with his in an angry kiss. "Betty. Shut up. Just...shut up. I am so mad at you, you have no idea," he tells her when he pulls back to take a breath.

"I'm mad at _you_!" she cries, pulling his face back to hers to kiss him again.

He's threading his hands through her hair, dragging the band that holds her ponytail out so he can get a better grip on her hair. Her head falls back in a moan as he pushes his thigh between her legs so he can hold her still. "I don't think I've ever been this mad at you, _Elizabeth_."

"Oh really, Forsy-"

"Don't," he growls lowly into the skin of her neck. "Do you have any idea what -just the idea of you there, the very thought of it- I can't handle it."

"You don't own me, Jug," she repeats what she said to him earlier.

"You're right, I don't. And yet, you're mine just the same," he says into her ear before tugging her earlobe gently between his teeth. Her breath hitches and he pushes his leg higher into her, making her jerk up. Running a thumb across her jawline he turns her face back to him. "You are the strongest person I know but you are _not_ invincible, Betty. Do you understand that?"

She doesn't answer him as she grabs for him, to bring his mouth back to hers again.

" _Do you understand that?"_

Finally focusing on him she responds in a terse voice, "Yes, Juggie."

Lifting her again by the back of her thighs he carries her over to the sofa they had enjoyed so thoroughly on the night of the dance. He drops her onto the cushion and a surprised gasp comes out of her mouth as she lands.

She's agitated, he can tell.

Laying her out on the sofa, he crawls over her, putting more weight on her than he usually would. Burying his face into her neck and hair he whispers to her, _"Do you know how much I love you? Because if you did, you wouldn't do things like this. You wouldn't be able to because you'd know that it would absolutely destroy me if something ever happened to you."_

He feels something wet touch the cheek he has pressed to her face and lifts his head up to see her crying. "Don't cry, Betts." Wiping the tears off of her face with his hand he starts placing soft kisses all over her cheeks, making her giggle at him.

"I'm sorry, Jug. I knew it was wrong and I did it anyway. I just want my sister to come home," she tells him in a watery voice.

"I'm sorry too, I knew you'd be pissed and I still did it. I just want you to be happy," he replies, moving a lock of her hair off of her forehead.

She smiles at him and bites her lower lip before she timidly says, "I almost thought you were going to spank me or something."

"I still might," he threatens, tightening his hands in her hair again, making her head jerk back a little. "I think you make me crazy, Betty. I don't know what it is, I don't, but sometimes I want to hold you down and sometimes I want to…" he trails off, feeling like he shouldn't finish the sentence.

"You want to what?"

Sitting up, he pulls her with him so they're face to face. "Control. It's possessive and maybe it's twisted and maybe it's from years of wanting to touch you, I don't have an answer for it but it's the truth."

She doesn't say anything to him, she's not even looking at him. He's starting to worry when she reaches for his hands, putting them at the hem of her shirt. Getting the hint, he pulls it off of her, letting it fall on the floor. Moving until she ends up sliding to her knees between his legs she looks up at him as she reaches for the button on his jeans

He doesn't think he's breathing and he doesn't know what to do or how to handle this situation. Has he thought about it? Yes. So many times, it's almost disgusting to the rest of the world, he's sure. Betty is slowly undoing his pants, tugging at them and he helps her by shifting his hips up. Leaving them halfway down his thighs she runs her hand over him through the fabric of his boxers, looking at him through her lashes.

Scared to blink in case he misses a second of it he sees her reaching for his hands, putting them into her hair to control the movement of her head. His nerves explode into anticipation, his breath stuttering a bit as she starts to pull on the ends of his boxers, bringing them down to just above where she left his jeans on his legs.

Betty is running soft fingers over him, seemingly considering what she's going to do. He's trying to be patient but he unconsciously tightens his fingers in her hair, causing her eyes to jump to his. Moving up on her knees, she takes him in hand and at the first feel of her warm wet mouth on him, her soft tongue sliding along with her lips, his head falls back as a loud groan escapes him. He wants to watch her so he forces his head back up and opens his eyes to see her staring at him as she she moves back and forth on him. She's kept her hand on him, helping her cover all of him, tightening her grip at intervals, making him forget every reason he's alive that doesn't include this moment.

He knows he's not going to last, it's impossible, she's beautiful and her pink lips and tangled hair with her eyes on him is almost as good as the feeling of her wet mouth going up and down on him. Pulling on her hair a little, she closes her eyes and he almost loses it immediately, but he's trying to keep his hips steady and not thrust into her mouth. Choking the woman you love the first time she goes down on you is probably on a list of mistakes made by many a man and he doesn't want to be on it.

The pressure building low in his abdomen is intensifying with each pass and before he knows it the only thing he can do is moan out a low _"Oh fuck, oh god, Betty."_

By the time he comes back down and can focus he still thinks words are too much as he looks at her, with swollen lips and a flushed face, wiping at the edges of her mouth and the first thing he says is a soft and slow, "Jesus, baby, where did you learn to do that?"

Betty grins at him and just climbs up into his lap and settles herself into whispering into his ear, "Sometimes I want you to hold me down, too. I think it's because I trust you to make me feel safe."


	20. Chapter 20

_**Tuesday Afternoon**_

 _"It's occurred to me, Miss B, that we have yet to discuss birth control," Veronica tells her in a prim voice, sitting next to her on the bench in the locker room after Vixen practice._

 _Betty is horrified as she looks at her. "What?"_

 _"I assume your mother isn't going to help you, so I offer you my services. Do you want to start the pill? I'm sure we can find a clinic for that. Do we need to go shopping for condoms? I can take you this week if you want."_

 _"Veronica, oh my god."_

 _"Bettykins, it's nothing to be ashamed of, the only time you should ever be embarrassed is if you don't practice safe sex. Just remember, safe sex is fun sex," Veronica says with an impish grin._

 _"Did you get that off a billboard somewhere?"_

 _Veronica tosses her hair behind her with a scoff. "Please, as if any pedestrian billboard could compare to a Veronica Lodge original motto. I'm insulted you would even think so."_

 _"V, Jughead and I haven't-"_

 _"Yes, I know, haven't had sex yet, but it's going to happen isn't it?"_

 _Betty considers the truth of that statement. Nodding at her she answers, "Yeah, it's definitely going to happen sooner rather than later."_

 _"See? Now, let's talk condoms -and always remember to carry your own if you're having sex, you own your sexual safety, B- maybe we should just get you a trial pack to start, then you can figure out what you like," Veronica starts, ignoring Betty's burning face. "You're both virgins, right? So we don't need to get your boy tested do we?"_

 _"Good god, Veronica, really?"_

 _"Yes, really. Jughead wasn't trying to get over his pining for you by getting under whatever was available was he?"_

 _"How would I know? And no, I don't think so, but I haven't asked him that sort of thing, Veronica. I'm not even sure I'd really want to know, to be honest," Betty replies, looking a little unsettled by the turn the conversation has taken._

 _Veronica, seeing the look on her face, grabs her hand and squeezes it. "Betty, even if he did, you know sex and love aren't the same thing, right? He loves you and that makes everything a much different experience. And honestly, I doubt he's ever even touched a girl before you but you should ask, just to make sure you cover all your bases."_

 _"No, I know you're right, I just never thought about him like that with someone else. Turns out, I don't like it. Who knew?" Betty huffs out, a little irritated with herself for that type of thinking._

 _"All you can do is ask, girl. So, I think we should go to Greendale for condoms. Mama Cooper getting wind of it if we do it here may mean you'll never find Jughead's body and I'm sure you'd like to at least play with it some more before he turns up missing."_

 _Betty laughs at her, standing up to leave the locker room, pulling on Veronica's hand as they walk out together._

* * *

 **Saturday Afternoon**

"Are you ready?" Jughead asks her, grabbing the overnight bag out of her hand.

Betty looks apprehensive and he wishes he could help her keep calm but with everything that's happened this week he's feeling a little on edge himself. Hearing Veronica and Archie behind him, he turns and laughs when he sees Archie's predicament.

"You okay, Arch?" he questions him, seeing him juggling at least three bags in his hands. And for one night, too. He'd hate to see Veronica pack for more than a weekend.

"I'm fine, Jug," he tells him, adjusting his grip on the bags.

Following Betty to the door he puts his free hand on her lower back to get her attention. "We'll figure it out, Betts. Don't worry."

She gives him a weak smile and nods at him as she gets ready to knock.

* * *

 _ **Wednesday Morning** _

_Walking Betty to her locker before their first class to grab the book she forgot, her body language seems a little awkward around him. He doesn't know why and he's trying to let her come to him about it._

 _The idea that it's something to do with what happened in Archie's garage the previous weekend and it's finally catching up with her is starting to bother him but he doesn't want to assume it's about him or them. If it is, though, and she regrets it, he knows he probably won't handle it all that well._

 _Opening her locker, a piece of paper falls to the ground, Betty bending over to pick it up and look at it. She immediately shuts her locker and grabs his hand, dragging him to the Blue and Gold._

 _Once they reach the office and make it through the door, she closes and locks it before turning to him with wide eyes and hands him the piece of paper. Reading it, he looks back up at her in shock. "What does this mean?"_

 _"I don't know, but I think it's a hint to figure out who's giving the Ghoulies drugs." Taking back the note she reads it again before walking over to their crime board and staring at it._

 _Following and standing behind her, he reaches to take the note again to reread it._

 _ **Be careful, Nancy Drew, or the Sugarman might get you**_

 _"Should we be worried that this sounds threatening?" he asks her, turning her around to face him._

 _Shaking her head, she tells him, "I don't think it is, I think it's meant to be vague in case someone besides us finds it. At least, I hope so, because yeah, the wording in that is pretty threatening otherwise." She tightens her ponytail and turns back around._

 _He sighs. Fine. He'll come to her about whatever is bothering her, he just hopes it doesn't blow up in his face. "Betty."_

 _She makes a questioning hmm sound at him, still staring at the board._

 _"What's wrong, Cooper?"_

 _"Nothing," she tells him, still looking straight ahead._

 _Taking a step closer to her, he puts his hands on her hips and whispers in her ear, "Tell me what is wrong, Betty."_

 _Her head falls forward as she takes a deep breath. Breaking his hold on her she turns around and steps back to look at him. He can tell she's trying to steel herself for whatever it is she's about to say. Anxiety is starting to prickle at his nerves. Thinking that the only thing worse than what she's doing to him now is a vague 'we need to talk' text, he feels a little defensive suddenly and wants to take his own step back but refuses to give into the urge._

 _"Have you…" she trails off. Looking away from him she crosses her arms in front of her and takes another deep breath. "Have you been with anyone?"_

 _To say he's shocked by the question is an understatement. Does she think he's cheating on her? How could she think that? "What? Are you asking me if I've cheated on you?"_

 _Betty looks shocked now. "Have you?"_

 _"What the hell? Of course not! Where is this coming from?"_

 _Wringing her hands now, she shifts her weight from one leg to the other. "I'm asking if you've been with anyone, Jughead. Like, as in ever."_

 _The stress melts from his spine as he slumps slightly in relief. "You could have just asked if I was a virgin and not given me a heart attack, Betts."_

 _"Well are you?"_

 _"Are you?"_

 _"You know that I am."_

 _Suitably ashamed that he's relieved even though he already knew the answer to that he reaches out to cup her cheek in his hand. "Who would I have even been with? And when? Where? You're the only girl, Betty, I thought you knew that."_

 _"I thought I did but Veronica said I needed to make sure," she says, her eyes meeting his._

 _Veronica? He's glad she moved here, if not for Betty, then at the very least, Archie, but she really knows how to throw a wrench into anything she has even the slightest thoughts about._

 _Betty still looks anxious. "I know sex and love aren't the same thing but I don't think separating them is going to be something I can do, Jug. So, I know that while virginity is only as important as we make it, I'm making it important, okay?"_

 _"Okay...did you not think it was important to me as well? Because yes, for girls, virginity seems to be a way to continually hold a value of a woman's worth in our still very patriarchal society but it's still your body and if you think it's important then it is," he says, taking her hands in his._

 _"Is it important to you?"_

 _"It's not something I'm obsessing over, Betty. I mean, yeah, I think about it but it is what it is."_

 _"And what is it?"_

 _"It's yours, Betty. So, when you're ready, if you're ready, I'll be here waiting for you." Bringing her closer to him, he wraps his arms around her. Whispering directly into her ear he tells her, "Having said all of that, the idea that another guy would ever get that part of you is not something I ever want to think about again, do you understand me?"_

 _Shivering at his words, she nods. "I didn't handle it all that well myself, when Veronica told me I should ask."_

 _Jughead rolls his eyes even though she can't see him. Veronica Lodge, he thinks, is an exercise in his patience. "Do you remember in sixth grade when Ethel tried to kiss me?"_

 _She laughs at that. "Yes. You looked so terrified."_

 _"I was! It was traumatizing, Betty. Anyway, the point is that I decided that day that if I was ever going to kiss a girl, it would be you."_

 _"Really?"_

 _Kissing her temple, he tightens his arms around her. "Absolutely."_

 _"Veronica thinks we're soulmates, you know," she says as she turns her head a little to look up at him._

 _"Finally, Veronica Lodge says something that makes sense!" he responds, walking them backwards until he's leaning on the edge of a desk, bringing Betty back to rest against his legs. "There is a chance we should have talked about this before we kept getting mostly naked in front of each other."_

 _"I don't think all that clearly when you're mostly naked in front of me, Juggie."_

 _"That makes two us."_

* * *

 **Saturday Afternoon**

"Betty," Polly says, shocked. "What are you doing here?" Pulling the door further open, she lets them all walk in to the chalet.

"We need to talk, Polly," Betty tells her, giving her the note she found in her locker on Wednesday. "I know you and Jason have dirt on Clifford Blossom, and enough of it to make Hiram Lodge help you, so I need to know what you know. All of it."

She can hear Jason sigh from next to Polly as he reads the note Betty had given her sister.

"Come on in so I can tell you," he says as he waves them in further than the entryway.

Veronica raises an eyebrow at him. "Thank you for inviting me into my own place. Very nice of you."

Betty hears Jughead try and stifle a laugh at that. Reaching back she lightly smacks him in the stomach to be quiet. He coughs and silently follows her to the living room where Jason is helping Polly sit in a chair.

Veronica sits on one of the sofas, crossing her legs and looking at Jason expectantly. Archie sits next to her, putting his behind her resting on the back cushions. Jughead, taking her hand, pulls Betty onto the sofa, wrapping an arm around her tightly, until she's leaning into him.

Watching Jason, she can see he's apprehensive as he starts talking.

"The Sugarman was a story my mother told Cheryl and me when we were little. Think of the boogeyman but call him the Sugarman, those kinds of stories." He takes a moment before continuing. "Our father had been grooming me to take over the business, which I thought was the maple syrup empire the Blossom's had built. When I found out it was a front for drugs, I wanted no part of it."

Polly reaches over to take his hand, comforting him.

"By that time, we knew Polly was pregnant and we knew we needed to get out of Riverdale. Faking my own death sounded almost appealing, I was so desperate. After overhearing my father on the phone talking about Hiram Lodge," he says, pausing to look at Veronica who nodded at him. "I thought we could use their feud to our benefit. I had to pretend to have a change of heart about the business to get the information I needed to keep us safe. I'm afraid I don't have all of it, just enough to bring down my father's drug business. Pictures and names for the most part. Names that do include who the current Sugarman is."

"Current Sugarman?" Jughead asks, sitting forward resting his elbows on his knees.

Jason nods at him. "Yeah, apparently there have been multiple ones throughout the years. I think they're the fall guy before it gets traced back to my father."

"Who is the latest iteration?" Betty inquires, looking between Jason and Polly.

Polly, staring at her sister intently, answers, "Robert Phillips."

* * *

 _ **Thursday Afternoon** _

_"Veronica talked to Betty about birth control," Archie tells Jughead, with the face of a man whose new girlfriend told him what to say._

 _Jughead, swallowing the water he was drinking wrong, starts to cough and refuses to believe he heard that correctly. "What?"_

 _"Don't make me say it again, Jug. I can't."_

 _Trying to get a hold of himself, he faces his best friend, the one he's had since before kindergarten. "Why would you ever need to tell me that? On what planet is that Veronica's or your business?"_

 _Archie runs his hand through his hair, frustrated. "I think Veronica is just worried about Betty, man. She can't go to her mom and Polly isn't around."_

 _"There are so many things wrong with this conversation I don't even know where to start. I'm happy Veronica cares about her, I am, but the idea that Betty, or I, don't know what we're doing is pretty insulting, Arch," Jughead says, agitated. "Aside from the fact that it's really no one's business what she and I do privately, we're both capable of figuring out how to prevent knocking her up, okay?"_

 _Throwing his hands up in surrender, Archie grimaces. "Hey, I get it, I don't want to know. Ever. Please never ever tell me anything. Betty will forever be in pigtails in my mind."_

 _"Then why would you even bring this up to me?"_

 _They look at each other, both of them rolling their eyes. "Veronica," they say simultaneously._

 _"Archie, I'm thrilled for you if you're happy with Veronica but the next time she tells you to talk to me about something that is none of your business, let's not and say we did."_

 _Archie shrugs at him and says, "Tried that yesterday, she knew I was lying."_

* * *

 **Saturday Afternoon**

"Who is Robert Phillips?" Archie asks Polly, sneaking a glance and Betty to see if she already knows.

"I don't know, I only know the name. I needed as much information as possible in a short amount of time," Jason answers instead.

Jughead can tell Betty is distracted by the expression on her face. "No, a name is good. It's a better start than we had."

He takes her hand, getting her attention. "Right?"

Nodding at him, she looks over to Polly. "It's great, it's the best lead we've had so far. Why didn't you tell me this before, Polly? I could have used this information weeks ago."

"You shouldn't be involved in this, Betty!" Polly exclaims, her face crumbling into sadness. "It's bad enough I had to leave you there with Mom, you don't need this on top of it."

"I was involved in this before I even knew where you were. We were getting anonymous tips about the drugs at the Blue and Gold since school started."

"Who thinks the school newspaper with two members is going to crack the drug ring in Riverdale?" Jason asks, looking at Betty and Jughead.

"Someone anonymous. Obviously," he says, leaning back again on the sofa, bringing Betty back with him.

Hearing Archie cough over a laugh, he looks over at him with a smirk.

"Yes, boys, you're very funny. Now what are we going to to do about this situation?" Veronica asks them.

Betty turns her head towards her. "First we're going to figure out who Robert Phillips is. Jason, I'm going to need copies of what you have."

"Betty-"

"No, Polly," she says, cutting her off, "me not having all of the information is dangerous, I need to know what's going on."

Conceding, Polly nods and sighs as she places a hand on her bump, already much larger than the last time they had seen her.

* * *

 _ **Thursday Evening**_

 _"Okay, B, pick your poison," Veronica tells her, gesturing to the selection of condoms in front of her._

 _Betty is overwhelmed by the choices and would rather be anywhere but there. "Veronica, I don't know, I've never needed these before!"_

 _"I know that, but you should think about what you like and what you'll need," she explains to Betty, walking closer to the shelves. "What are we working with here?"_

 _"What does that mean?"_

 _"Well, I mean, do you need help with lubrication?"_

 _Betty's eyes open wide. "Oh my god! How am I supposed to answer that?!"_

 _Veronica cocks her head at her with an analyzing gaze. "Hmm, how do I put this? When you and Jughead are messing around, does it get you hot and bothered?"_

 _Laying her forehead against a shelf, Betty breathes in and out steadily, wondering how everything in her life has brought her to this point. She's staring at her shoes, silently, while Veronica waits for an answer. "Of course, V. If you're asking if Jughead turns me on, yes, he does."_

 _"Good. Now, let's discuss size. I'm pretty sure they're all the same size but they package them different for the egos of our fragile men-"_

 _"I am not telling you how big-"_

 _"You don't have to say it, just tell me when to stop," Veronica insists, holding her hands up and slowly moving them away from each other._

 _Betty can feel her face burning and she's certain the collar on her sweater is too tight as she makes a stop motion with her hands, looking away._

 _"Good job, Jughead," she hears Veronica murmur._

 _"This is totally humiliating, V."_

 _"Betty, my love, if you can't talk about it, should you really be doing it?"_

 _Tugging on her sleeves she meets Veronica's eyes. "I can talk to Jughead just fine about it. I don't know, I feel like once it gets that intimate it's really private."_

 _"Oh, B. I get that, it's special for the two of you, but I think being prepared will help you relax when the time comes," Veronica tells her, reaching up to grab a box from the shelf. "Here, this one has a bunch of different kinds so you can figure out what you like."_

 _Taking the box from her and walking quickly to the register she buys them with all the Cooper confidence she can muster up as she looks the clerk in the eye when he gives her the total._

* * *

 **Saturday Evening**

"So as you can see, we'll be staying the night, if that's alright with the two of you," Veronica explains to Jason and Polly, her luggage at her feet where Archie set it down.

"That's fine," Polly says quickly, peeking at Betty who has been looking through the evidence Jason had compiled against Clifford Blossom since he set it in front of her hours ago.

Betty doesn't know what the rest of them did all afternoon but she and Jughead had barely moved from the table they were sitting at. Aside from stopping to eat, they had been focused the entire time. And she needs a break from it.

"Are you tired, Betts?" Jughead asks her, rubbing a hand across her back.

Betty yawns before she can answer and he laughs as she covers her mouth, nodding at him.

"Let's go find rooms, then," he tells her, grabbing her hand and walking out of the room to find Veronica and Archie.

Making their way up the stairs, they follow the sound of Veronica's voice as she's running pros and cons for each available room.

Betty can't help but grin at her when they finally find her. "It's for one night, Veronica, does it really matter what way the window faces?"

Veronica turns and looks at her, aghast. "Yes."

Jughead is rubbing the bridge of his nose at that. "Just point me to a room, please, I don't even care if it has windows or not."

"Archiekins, be a dear and show them to their room," Veronica calls as she wanders off looking for goodness knows what.

Archie sighs but stands up from the bed he was sitting on, their bags at his feet. "Sure, Ronnie."

"After you, Jeeves," Jughead says, motioning for Archie to walk ahead. He has her overnight bag in his hands as he follows her out of the room and down the hall.

Opening the door to a room that seems perfectly fine, Archie gestures at them to go in. "We'll see you in the morning, guys."

"Tell Veronica goodnight for me okay, Arch?" Betty asks him, already going through her bag Jughead set on the bed.

"Sure thing."

"'Night, Archie," she hears Jughead say right before she hears the click of the door closing.

She looks up as she hears him let out a breath.

He runs his eyes across her face and lets his arms drop to his sides. "Looks like we're alone."

* * *

 _ **Friday Evening**_

 _"I need to go see Jason and Polly, you guys," Betty insists quietly in a booth at Pop's after that night's game._

 _"Betty, come on, we talked about this," Archie interjects._

 _Frustrated, Betty puts her hand under the table, starting to curl her nails into her palm when she feels Jughead take her hand, smoothing out her fingers against his leg, keeping his hand on hers._

 _"I need to know what they know, Archie. I'm getting notes now? Ones that I can't tell if they're threatening or not."_

 _Jughead puts his arm around her, sliding a thumb across the curve of her neck. "Arch, man, I don't like it either but I think we need to do this."_

 _Archie sits back, staring at the table silently._

 _Veronica sits forward, asking quietly, "Here's what we're going to do, B, you tell your mom you're staying at mine tomorrow night, I'll tell my mom I'm at yours. Boys, you come up with your own plan, I don't know what it is you two when you're alone."_

 _"That sounds pretty weird when you say it like that, Ronnie," Archie tells her, wrinkling his brow in disgust._

 _"Oh, Archiekins, you know I'd never judge your...curiosities."_

 _Jughead sighs loudly, tilting his head back against the booth. "Veronica, I swear-"_

 _"How will we get there?" Betty interrupts._

 _"Smithers, of course. He's loyal to the Lodges but he's especially loyal to me," she tells her, moving around in the booth with an irritated look on her face. "This vinyl leaves a lot to be desired when you're sitting on it in a short skirt."_

 _Betty can't help but agree. She thinks she might lose a layer of skin if she moves too quickly while wearing her Vixens uniform._

 _"So, tomorrow we go back to Shadow Lake?" Jughead asks, resigned to his fate._

 _"We go back to Shadow Lake."_

* * *

 **Saturday Evening**

Betty looks like a deer caught in headlights. "Huh?"

Walking up to her, he takes her by the shoulders to make her look at him. "Alone, Betty. Totally unsupervised. No parents. No one is coming through that door unless Veronica decides the feng shui in this room is suddenly better than the one she picked."

He can see she's trying not to smile. Biting her lip and almost making him groan out loud she gives him an innocent look. "You know, suddenly I'm not that tired."

"That's my girl," he says to her, pushing her to sit on the bed before pushing her bag on the floor.

Laughing she falls back taking him with her as he buries his face in the side of her neck, kissing his way up to her ear to whisper,"You have to be quiet."

Pulling back to look at her, her eyes are wide. "Can you be quiet, Betty?" When she doesn't answer or move, he takes her chin in his hand to bring her attention to him. "I asked if you could be quiet."

Betty is nodding at him as she tells him, "I can be quiet."

"Good."

He feels her hands in his hair, taking off his hat and tossing it to table next to the bed as he's grabbing the band from her ponytail, pulling it out of her hair, tossing it to the floor. Taking his hands out of her hair he lifts the hem of her shirt, making Betty sit up so he can pull it off. He's in awe of her every time he sees her like this.

She's reaching for him, trying to get his own shirt off and he helps her, letting it fall to his feet before bringing her forward so he can unclasp her bra and pull it off her shoulders and down her arms until he drops it next to the bed. Laying her back, he's undoing the button to her jeans, tugging them off of her as she lifts her hips to help him shimmy them off of her legs.

They both laugh when they realize her jeans get stuck on her shoes. Taking her boots off, he runs fingers down her calves once she's undressed, pressing light kisses against her ankles as he takes each sock off. Left there in her panties, she leaves him almost breathless, smiling at him the way she is. Moving her free leg, she pulls at the waistband of his jeans with her toes, making it clear she wants them off.

"Are you trying to tell me something, Betty?"

Sitting up on her elbows, she stares at him with a sly grin. "Yeah. Get naked, Jug."

"Really?" he asks, smiling down at her. "Whatever for?"

"You know what for."

Tapping a finger against his chin in contemplation, he says, "I think I want to hear you say it, Betts. Tell me what you want."

Laying back against the mattress again, she looks up at him with soft eyes that don't match the words he never thought he'd hear come from Betty Cooper's mouth. "I want you to fuck me, Jughead."

* * *

 _ **Saturday Morning**_

 _"I said no, Betty!" her mom is yelling at her as she packs an overnight bag._

 _"What, exactly, is your problem with Veronica, Mom?"_

 _"If she's anything like her parents, that's reason enough. I don't want you in their house, god only knows what you'll be exposed to."_

 _Betty sighs, turning to look at her mom, making eye contact. "Mom, Veronica is my friend, not her parents, and she's been nothing but nice to me. I am going to spend the night and part of tomorrow with her so I can get away and not think about anything for a little while. So I can stop pretending for at least a day."_

 _"What does that mean?" her mom scoffs at her._

 _As Betty walks by with her packed bag she tells her, "You know **exactly** what it means, Mom. I'm not stupid, despite how much you wish I was. Just because I haven't said anything doesn't mean I know nothing."_

 _Her mom's face is shocked and wary._

 _"I'll see you tomorrow afternoon, Mom."_

 _She hears no further protests as she walks down the stairs and out of the door to where Veronica is waiting with Smithers._

* * *

 **Saturday Evening**

He almost stops breathing at her words. "You want me to…"

"Yes," she answers. "Unless you don't want to."

"Of course I want to! I want to all the time, honestly I have no idea what is even going on in half of my classes I think about it so much."

She laughs sweetly at him. "You need to pay attention, Jug. But for now, you can start by taking your pants off."

"Oh yeah? You want me to take my pants off?"

"Yes please."

He groans quietly as he tilts his head back, looking at the ceiling to give himself a moment at that. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"Not tonight."

"Well, that's good to know," he tells her as he unbuttons his jeans, bending down to take off his boots and socks, letting his pants fall so he can step out of them once everything is off. He crawls up her body, pressing kisses on random spots on her skin, trailing his lips more than once over the places that make goosebumps appear.

Betty puts her arms around his neck, pulling him to her so she can kiss him. He deepens it, biting her lower lip gently, pulling it into his mouth as she moans quietly.

"You better be quiet, Betty," he demands, moving to her neck, sucking on her pulse point, causing her to dig her fingernails into his shoulders. "So quiet, can you do that for me?"

Eyes closed she nods her head quickly, wrapping her legs around him, bucking her hips into him.

He takes a deep breath at the sensation of her rubbing against him. _God,_ he thinks, I _'m going to come before I even get close to being inside of her, I just know it._

Running a hand over her breasts, across her nipple, he continues down past her belly button and under the waist of her panties until his fingers are putting a light pressure against her clit, making her bite her lip, trying to stay quiet like he told her to.

Her hips jerk a bit, making his hand slip, his fingers sliding deeper and he makes it intentional, slipping a finger into her, moving until he can run circles on her clit with his thumb. Feeling her getting wetter as he moves, he increases his speed until she's covered her mouth with one of her hands to stop herself from crying out.

"Are you going to come for me, Betty?" he says right before running his tongue over one of her nipples, pulling it into his mouth to suck lightly on it.

She's nodding frantically at him, her legs starting to shake as he can feel the pulsing he's learned well by now. He moves up to take her mouth with his, to make sure she stays quiet and she's panting, kissing him between gasps as he comes down, her body still shuddering from her orgasm.

He smiles at her flushed face and the calm in her eyes. "How good do you think my rebound period is?"

"What?" she asks, confused.

"You're just so beautiful when you come, Betty, it just sort of happens," he says sheepishly, gesturing to the growing wet spot on his boxers.

She bites both of her lips into a line, trying not to laugh at him. "Really, Juggie?"

"Hey, I'll be back in the game before you know it."

"You better hope so," she tells him seriously. "I have plans for you."

* * *

 _ **Saturday Morning**_

 _"Did you leave the note?" he asks Archie._

 _Archie, picking up his bag, nods at him. "Left it on the fridge."_

 _Jughead picks up his own small bag. "You don't think he'll question it, do you?"_

 _"I hope not. But we've done it before so I don't see why he would have a problem with it. I even texted him about it, just to be on the safe side since he's so busy with the SoDale stuff still."_

 _Locking up the house after making sure Vegas had food and water, they walked part way up the street to make sure Alice Cooper didn't see them getting into the car with Betty and Veronica. Seeing the waiting car, they upped their pace and slid into the back as quickly as possible._

 _"Hello, boys," Veronica greets them. "And what is your cover story?"_

 _Archie leans to kiss her hello as he answers, "Camping for the night before it starts snowing for the year."_

 _"Believable?"_

 _"Yup. Done it before, plenty of times."_

 _"Good."_

* * *

 **Saturday Night**

She's laying across his chest, under the sheet on the bed as he runs his fingers down her spine. "Veronica made me buy condoms."

He's sure he should be more surprised than he is. "What?"

"Yeah, so, I packed protection in case you were wondering."

He looks down at her. "Betty, of course I have protection. Did you really think I'd expect you to take care of that?"

She shrugs at him. "I don't know, I've never had to worry about it before."

Laughing at that, he holds her tighter. "At least we both came prepared."

Her leg is rubbing against his as he fingers trace circles against his stomach. If she's looking for a reaction, she's going to get one. "What are you doing?"

"Waiting impatiently for my boyfriend to...stand at attention?" she says with a coy smile, increasing the pressure of her fingers on his skin. "Is it working?"

"Oh, it's working," he answers as he pulls her into a sitting position with her legs straddling his as he lets her weight sit on him, pushing his hips up to let her feel how hard he is. Her breasts are eye level with him and he can't help it as he buries his face into her chest, hugging her tightly to him, breathing in the sweet smell of her skin.

Finally looking up at her, he questions her. "Do you want me to fuck you, Elizabeth?"

"Yes," she says in a low soft tone.

"Say please," he demands, his hands going up into her hair and pulling on it until she gasps.

"Please."

Moving his hands back down he runs his fingers under the edge of the panties she's still wearing. She moves so he can pull them down, adjusting herself until he gets them all the way off.

Having already taken his wet boxers off, he reaches over the edge of the bed for the bag he knows is sitting on the floor and grabbing the handle he brings it up next to them. Unzipping it, he takes the condoms he packed in it out. "See?" he tells her. "Preparedness is key."

"You're ridiculous."

Taking the packet from him, she looks it over. "Do you know how to put this on?"

"I really hope so," he responds, taking it back and opening it. Rolling it on, he'll never admit he's proud he managed to do it right the first time. "Come here." Reaching for her, he helps her to her knees until she's kneeling over him, both showing real anxiety for the first time.

"We don't have to do this now, Betty," he assures her, her nervousness apparent.

She makes eye contact with him. "I want to."

"Okay," he says to her, gripping her hips as she slowly lowers herself onto him, only adjusting a little when he slips a bit.

At the feeling of being inside of her for the first time, he's holding his breath in awe of it. The heat, the slide of it, the tight walls gripping him.

Her body is stiff as she's working her way down, looking like she's uncomfortable. "Betty?"

Eyes popping open, she looks down at him. "I'm okay, it's just a little painful and weird."

"Weird?"

"Yeah, I don't think I can explain it," she says, letting more of her weight pull her down farther onto him.

Sucking in a breath, he jolts at the feeling. "God, Betty, you're so-" he can't finish as she starts moving, hands on his shoulders holding her steady as she tests the movements of how it feels to slide up and down.

He can see the moment she starts to enjoy it, her face relaxes and she smiles softly at him as she moves, the heat of her becoming more apparent as the sensation becomes something else for her. Jughead doesn't think as he takes over, flipping over and pressing her back into the mattress, he pulls her knees up, sliding his hands up until he's gripping the backs of her knees, pushing them up and holding them apart so he can see himself sliding slowly in and out of her. Groaning, he looks up at her flushed face. "Fuck, Betty-"

He can't finish the thought as he feels her move her hips a little higher, pulling him deeper into her, causing her to gasp and open her eyes and meet his. He slowed his movements, not knowing if it was a good or bad gasp.

"Betty?"

Tilting her head back, she slipped her legs out of his grip, wrapping them back around him and pulling him to her even closer. Good gasp, he thinks. Definitely a good sound. Taking advantage of his free hands, he leans over her, holding himself above her with his arms moving until they were under her shoulders, pressing his fingers into her skin as he increased his pace, breathing heavily into the side of her neck, sucking softly on it, making her moan quietly into his ear.

He can feel her as she wraps her arms around him, tightening her legs to keep him in place. She's panting into his ears, the heat of her breath making him shiver as he gets lost in the sensation of thrusting into her. Moving one of his hands out from under her, he takes hold of her hair, curling his fingers into it, tugging her head away from him for better access to the side of her neck.

Whispering into her ear he tells her, "I love you, you know-"

"I love you too-"

"No, I don't think you understand," he continues, his pace slowing so he can concentrate on the words he can't keep in. "The way I love you makes me think no one else even knows what love is."

Trying to meet his eyes, she's confused as she asks, "What?"

Giving into the temptation to thrust into her again, he does it slow and deep before he answers. "The idea that we live in a world that is as cruel as ours that knows love the way I love you is something I just can't believe in."

She's looking at him like the impact of what he said took her ability to breathe. "I think my soul has always loved you, like it's always known the best parts of me are the pieces of you I carry."

He can feel his eyes threaten to tear up at that so he leans down to press a kiss to her lips and continue thrusting into her, feeling her legs tighten again. Pulling his mouth away from hers, he puts his face into her hair, trying to keep his breathing even as he feels the pressure building in him, making him move faster and with the feeling of his chest pressed to hers, the silk of her hair tangled in his fist, the sound of her struggle to keep her moans quiet, he can't control the shudder that runs through his body as he finishes, biting her neck harder than he'd ever do on purpose to keep himself from groaning her name out loudly into the quiet of the room.

He feels her jerk at that under him, her body reacting to the pressure of his teeth into the skin of her neck. Gasping loudly she turns her head to look at him with wide eyes. He wonders if he'll always think she's impossibly beautiful, if he'll always think he's the luckiest fool alive. Jughead thinks the answer to both will always be yes.

Pushing her hair out of her face he tells her, "I thought I told you that you needed to be quiet."

Her face is flushed and pink and her body is thrumming under him as she responds, "You bit me, Jug."

"I think you liked it, Betty," he tells her with a grin.

Smiling at him, she nods, letting her legs fall to the sides of him. His face falls a bit as he realizes she didn't come again.

"You didn't…" he trails off, running a hand down her side, even as he's still inside of her, still between the slick skin of her thighs.

"I already did, remember?"

Nodding at her, he looks at her as he starts to pull back and out of her, slowly. She winces slightly at the feeling of it and he can't help the guilt he feels over it if he's made her sore. There was nothing but the overwhelming pleasure of being inside of her for the first time and he knows it wasn't the same for her. He starts to move down her body, leaving a trail of kisses in his wake, stopping to run his tongue along her nipples, lightly sucking on each one until she's squirming beneath him, grabbing at him before making fists into the sheets to keep herself steady.

When he gets to her bellybutton he traces the circle of it with his tongue, making her put a hand to her mouth to keep quiet. Lifting his head up a little he tells her in a low voice, "Good girl. You need to stay quiet, what would everyone think if they heard you?"

Going back to laying kisses across her abdomen he can feel her knees going up and down, trying to release some of the energy he's building in her.

"You're not going to make any noise are you, Betty?"

She shakes her head back and forth, still keeping a hand to her mouth.

Moving his hands until they're under her hips, he pushes up until she's slightly lifted, her legs falling further open to give him better access to all of her pretty pink parts. Quirking an eyebrow he says, "You know, while I know that pink isn't your favorite color, I think it's rapidly becoming mine."

Betty makes a shocked sound low in her throat. "Oh my god, Jug."

He responds by running his tongue over her clit, making her put both of her hands over her mouth this time. When she tilts her head to look at him, he's already looking at her, wanting to see her face as he slips his tongue back and forth, increasing the intensity the way he knows she likes. Her eyes are wide, and she's panting while her knees trying to close around him. With a sudden movement he's up and sitting on his his haunches between her legs, reaching to push her up, to lay on the pillows close to the head of the bed. Helping him, she's adjusting herself until she's comfortable and he lays back down, using a hand to hold her abdomen down as he slides a finger into her, making sure to be careful in case she's sore while lightly sucking her clit between his teeth.

Her hand is suddenly in his hair, tightly grasping as she's biting her lips to stay quiet. He enjoys the feeling of it, knowing that he can make her react that way. That he's the only one to have done so, he wants to know her body with the same ease he uses to breathe. Wanting to keep her hips still, the pressure of holding her down seems to make her desire to move even stronger, something he thinks she likes just as much as he does. He can feel the little convulsions in her thighs, the quivering in low in her abdomen as her muscles contract, the movement of her legs as they try and find purchase along the slippery fabric of the sheets.

Looking up he meets her eyes as he slips in a second finger, running his tongue in circles with a firm pressure as her other hand reaches for his free one, her nails biting into him as she struggles to keep her eyes open and regulate her breathing while trying to keep quiet.

He wishes she could let go and be as loud as she wants to be. But they're not in a place where she can and he doesn't want her to wake up to the embarrassment of everyone, including her sister, knowing what they're doing.

"Come on, baby, just let it go," he tells her, lifting his head while keeping his fingers moving, pressing his thumb on her clit so he can watch her as she finishes. The telltale shaking of her legs starts, her gasping breaths as she tries to control the moans that want break free, he works her through it until she jerks and pushes him away from her, panting and looking so beautiful as she falls apart and puts herself back together.

He moves back up the bed to hold her, trying to find a way to dispose of the condom without getting off the bed. Sighing, he doesn't see any other option until he gets an idea.

Smirking at her, she looks at him questioningly and he asks her, "Shower?"


	21. Chapter 21

_**Fall 2014**_

 _Jughead Jones figures out as the leaves are changing colors in the fall that he will defend Betty Cooper without question, even if she's wrong. Maybe especially when she's wrong._

 _"I'm sorry, Jughead," Betty tells him morosely, reaching out to touch the tender skin that's turned a combination of blue and purple._

 _Flinching when her fingers make contact from the pain under his eye he shrugs at her. "It's alright, Betty. I think I got him pretty good, though."_

 _A small smile crosses her face. "Yeah, his nose was so gross and bloody, I bet he whistles when he breathes for, like, at least three days." The smile falls off her face. "I'm sorry you got detention for a week, though."_

 _"Hey, you got detention, too," he reminds her. "So at least we'll be doing it together."_

 _"Yeah, but I deserve it, you don't," she whispered, looking down to the ground. "I should have walked away."_

 _"He was wrong, you know that, even if you were wrong too, he was wronger than you," he says, pushing his hair back off of his forehead. "He shouldn't have said that to you."_

 _"I did pour my drink on him, Jug," Betty says as her eyes meet his again. "He just made me so mad."_

 _"Chuck's a jerk," he insists, thinking about how when he walked into the cafeteria he saw Betty standing there in tears as Chuck, wearing a wet and stained t-shirt, yelling at Betty, calling her all sorts of names in front of everyone._

 _Walking up to her, he asks her if she's okay when Chuck picked up his own drink to throw on Betty and Jughead doesn't think before he turns around, swinging his fist and punching Chuck in the face. Before he realized his hand hurt, he was on the ground and his eye was throbbing._

 _"Still, you defended me and now you're in trouble," she counters, pulling the straps of her bag around her shoulders. "My mom is going to be so mad."_

 _Jughead just grins at her, "Probably. But just think of Chuck's whistling nose when she starts yelling."_

 _Finally laughing she smiles at him. "That's a great idea."_

 _"Betty, you know, you never told me what he was saying to you."_

 _She just shrugs at him. "Just stupid stuff, Juggie, you know how he is."_

 _Nodding at her, he agrees. He does know how Chuck is. "Yeah."_

* * *

 **Wednesday Morning**

"So, as it turns out, Robert Phillips is a teacher at Southside High," Betty tells him, pinning his name next to the already pinned paper that says 'Sugarman'.

Jughead is taken aback by that. "He's a _teacher_? How did you figure it out?"

Betty continues to look at their board. "Joaquin, actually. I asked Kevin if Joaquin knew anyone by that name on the Southside since that's where the Ghoulies are based and turns out, he's the English teacher for the high school."

"Wow, that's just-"

"Yeah, I know."

"Betty," he continues after she cut him off, "don't you think we should let Sheriff Keller handle the rest of this? I think busting up a drug ring is probably a little out of our capabilities."

Turning to look at him, she asks, "Do you think he'd take it more seriously if it were anonymous? If he blew it off because it was us-"

"Which I wouldn't put past him."

"Me either. Anonymous is probably best."

"The real question is, will it be enough to take down Clifford Blossom as well?" Jughead questions. "Because if not, he'll just get another Sugarman, right?"

Betty is staring hard at the board in front of her. "Aside from the drugs and wanting the Twilight land, what is Clifford Blossom guilty of?"

"Worst father of the year?" he quips at her.

She rolls her eyes at him. "You know what I mean, he helped put Hiram Lodge in jail because of a feud. He wanted the Twilight land for family history and he wanted Jason to learn to take over his drug business. It's all family orientated."

Standing and walking over to her, crossing his arms as he thinks he says, "But Hiram Lodge, it's about money. It's about power. His motivations don't extend past himself and that makes him dangerous."

"We know he's behind the SoDale thing, he's helping Jason and Polly to benefit himself, he's blackmailing my parents. That part doesn't make that much sense, Jug-"

"The money-"

"No, I get that part, it's the _why_ of it. There has to be another reason he's holding the paper against them and they're going with it."

Wrapping his arms around her, he pulls her into a tight embrace. "Are you going to finally confront the dragon?"

"I think I have to."

* * *

 **Early Thursday Afternoon**

"Jughead," he hears a female voice whisper to him, as someone grabs his arm, pulling him into an empty classroom.

Thrown off by being caught off guard he whips around and relaxes as he sees it's Veronica. "If this is part of your goal to kiss all of your friends, I'm flattered but you know I'm taken-"

"Oh god, shut up," she interrupts with an unamused expression.

"Although, if you ever wanted to kiss Betty again, I have to tell you I'm oddly torn between being jealous and intrigued-"

"Jughead!"

"I know, it's disgusting of me but I have come to accept my flaws-"

"Knowing you is part of my karma, isn't it?" Veronica interjects, arms crossed and eyebrow arching.

"That...is completely possible."

"For the record, I want it known I have no idea why Betty lets you see her naked."

Blushing, Jughead decides to shut up with his banter and finally listen to her. Bringing up Betty naked makes him think of a naked Betty and he can't do that with her best friend in the room or when he's not alone. Or not in the shower. "What's up, Veronica?"

"My dad is coming home," she tells him with an uneasy face.

"Hiram Lodge? Is coming here to Riverdale? Where he's feuding with the Blossoms, buying up property anonymously, essentially holding Jason Blossom hostage in the name of safety and revenge? That Hiram Lodge?" he asks, suddenly anxious.

"That's the one."

"How long have you known?"

She's standing there, looking down at the floor with her hair falling in her face. When he sees her reach for the pearl necklace around her neck he knows she's known for a while.

"Veronica, how long?" His tone is harder than before. **"How long?"**

Her head pops up at the anger in his voice. "Jughead…"

"What the _fuck_ , Veronica!?" he shouts, turning around to lean against a desk to steady himself. "Have you told Betty?"

"No, of course not, not yet."

"Archie?"

Her silence is the answer and he sighs out audibly in frustration. "You told Archie. Of course you did. Why are you telling me before Betty?"

Veronica is shifting her gaze nervously and avoiding eye contact.

And then he gets it. All the pieces fit and he can't believe she would do this to her friend. "How could you? Betty has never thought you were lying to her, not once and she defends you first in any situation, how could you not tell her?"

"I wanted to-"

"Is that why you've been on her like a shadow lately?"

"Part of it, yes. But Jughead, you have to believe me that I love Betty, I don't want anything to happen to her."

His face is passive as he replies, "I believe that, I know you care. But you are lying to her. To me, even, which isn't something I usually expect from someone I consider a friend to be honest. I'm not even giving you a day this time, if she doesn't know before eight o'clock, I'm telling her."

Nodding, she's got tears in her eyes as she looks at him. "That's not even all of it, Jughead."

Less than a minute later, Jughead slams the door into the wall as he opens it and storms out, a tear streaked Veronica on his heels, calling for him to stop.

* * *

 **Thursday Afternoon**

"Did you hear, Betty," her mom asks her as soon as she walks in the door, "that some teacher was the one responsible for distributing that Jingle Jangle drug? He was arrested this morning."

Betty feigns surprise. "No, I had no idea."

She hears her mother murmur, "They should just tear that school down."

"Mom!" she calls out before she can stop herself. "I need to talk to you."

"If you're pregnant so help me god, Betty, I will bury that Jones boy where no one will ever find him," her mother tells her, walking back into the room.

"You immediately assume I'm pregnant?" Betty asks, shocked.

Her mother shrugs at her. "I am well aware of the allure of the Jones men," she says, looking up to the ceiling and lost in thought.

 _Her mom? And FP? Gross._

Betty is disgusted. "You and FP, Mom? Really?" At her mother's indication of a yes she grimaces. "Ew, Mom."

"Elizabeth," her mom scoffs, "Jug-Head looks just like his father, you know. So you're only insulting yourself and that beanie wearing hoodlum you're so fond of."

"I'm going to pretend I never heard you insult Jughead or say anything about FP." Betty shudders in revulsion at the thought. "And no, I'm not pregnant."

"Then what do you want, Betty? I'm on a deadline."

Steeling herself for the fallout she looks her mother in the eye. "I know where Polly is. I know she's pregnant and I know you had her locked away before she escaped some twisted nunnery with Cheryl Blossom's help." Taking a deep breath, she keeps going. "I know Hiram Lodge is holding the Register over your head. And I know we're related to the Blossoms."

The shocked face her mom is wearing would be funny in any other situation but this time Betty just stands there nervously.

Alice Cooper is an intimidating woman. She can cut you with words, she can stare you down and make you wish you'd never even spoke to her. The ability she has to rip you to pieces is a well known character trait so Betty was almost horrified to see her mother's shoulders slump and her head fall as she burst into tears.

"Mom?" Betty asks, walking to her mother, reaching out to touch her shoulder. She's shocked when she throws her arms around her, sobbing into her shoulder.

"You know where Polly is?" her mom brokenly whispers to her. "Is she okay? Have you seen her?"

Confused, Betty just nods. "I've seen her twice. She's fine and so are the babies, she looks happy. I thought you knew where she is?"

"Babies?"

"She's having twins," she tells her, causing her mom to sob even harder.

Shaking her head and wiping the tears off of her cheeks she replies, "We were told she's okay, but we haven't been allowed to see her. I don't even know where she is!"

"What? How can you not know?"

"Hiram Lodge is holding the cards, Betty. All of them."

"Polly didn't tell me you haven't seen her-"

"Why would she?" Alice huffs out.

"I don't understand, why are you letting Hiram Lodge blackmail you into no contact with Polly? Is the paper really in that much trouble?"

Averting her eyes, her mother wrings her hands together. "It's not in trouble anymore." Taking a breath she stands up and disappears into her office coming back a few moments later with a large manila envelope. "We finalized the sale to Lodge Industries last week after these showed up."

Taking the envelope and opening it, Betty pulls out a stack of photos. Looking through them, getting more and more upset and anxious she questions her mother. "What is this?"

"Leverage. I didn't want to sell, Betty. Neither did your father. It's one thing to be blackmailed into submission financially for Polly's safety. But this? I can't-" Alice stops suddenly, breaking into more sobs.

Betty flips through the pile of photos once more. They're of _her_.

"What?" she murmurs, seeing images of herself, walking to school, from school. At Pop's. There's even one of her kissing Jughead good night on the sidewalk in front of her house, his hand seemingly one frame away from being a full on ass grab. _Well, that's why she assumed I was pregnant,_ she thinks wryly. "Mom?"

Alice sniffs and holds her head high again. "We either sell, which means Hiram Lodge dictates the articles we print, or we take chances with our daughters lives."

"I thought he was just using money to intimidate you," she tells her mother, setting the pictures on her lap.

"He was, at first. It's gotten worse over the last few weeks and I don't know why."

Betty sucks in a breath, wanting to ask why she sent Polly away, why she hid the letters from her, a thousand whys she's been dying to ask but all she says is, "I think there's some things you need to know."

* * *

 **Late Thursday Afternoon**

Jughead is still pissed when Archie walks in the door after his football practice, sitting there waiting for him while his anger at the situation builds.

"You know, Arch, I've never not thought of you as loyal," he starts. "It's always been this thing I have never once doubted. Not about you or Betty."

"Jug?" he asks, a little surprised once he notices him just sitting there. "What are you talking about?"

"Did you know about Hiram Lodge coming to Riverdale when you sat on this sofa and let Veronica berate me about Betty's safety? When I asked her if there was something else going on and she said no?"

Archie's face pales and he lets his bag drop to the floor. "Look, Jug, you have to understand-"

"No, I don't. I really don't. You have been my friend since we were kids. You have been Betty's since we were kids. When did you start lying to us? When Veronica says so? Were you that desperate to get in her pants?"

"Do not go there," Archie states, a dangerous tone coloring his voice. "Do _not_ talk about Veronica like that."

"Let me see if I have this right, your girlfriend, who wasn't even your girlfriend at the time, tells you that not only is her criminal dad coming to town but he's buying the Register out from under the Coopers and threatening Betty to keep her parents under his thumb?" he asks with an angry edge. "Is that right?"

"Ronnie asked me to keep it quiet until she could figure out more, Jughead, so that's what I did."

"How does your loyalty to Veronica Lodge trump your friendship with Betty? That's what I don't understand," Jughead questions. "I get that Jason Blossom went to Hiram Lodge and that put a target on Polly's back. Then it extended to Betty's to keep her parents in line, I get that, I do not get why you knew and kept it from us, the one time you shouldn't keep a secret is the one time you manage to. God, Archie, do you get how badly this could end?"

"Don't lecture me," Archie says, closing his eyes in frustration. "I did what Ronnie asked me to do. Can you say that you wouldn't do the same for Betty?"

"Betty is not Veronica-"

"No, she's not, she's-"

"Not Betty! Are you really comparing them right now?"

"Tell me, Jughead, don't you think you might be a little biased in this situation?"

He rolls his eyes at him. "Oh, I'm so sorry that I'm worried about my girlfriend, who happens to be one of my best friends, how dare I?"

Archie rubs his hands over his eyes, sighing. "Come on, man. Don't tell me you don't do things for Betty, even when you know it's wrong."

"We both know that I do," he starts. "That's not the issue and you know it."

"Are you saying if Betty asked you to keep something to yourself and it was important but she was dealing with it, you wouldn't because it involved Veronica?"

Staring at Archie, Jughead knows that he would.

Leaving the room, as he walks by Archie he says, "If anything happens to Betty because of any of this, I will _never_ forgive you."

By the stunned look on Archie's face, Jughead knows he believes it.

* * *

 **Thursday Evening**

He finds Betty in the treehouse after texting her.

"Talk went that well, huh?" he asks, crouching down and sitting next to her, taking her hands in his after wiping the leftover tears from her face.

She sniffs and then lets out a watery laugh. "Do you remember when were seven and we wanted to run away?"

Jughead smiles. "Yeah, I believe we had a disagreement on how many stuffed animals you should bring."

"I needed all of them, Jug," she insists. "Every single one."

"I also remember how that is what ultimately got us caught," he reminds her. "I can't believe you threw that bear at me."

"Me and the bears agreed you had it coming."

"You wanna tell me what's wrong?" he asks, pulling her into his lap as she lays her head on his shoulder.

"No, but I will," she begins. "I confronted my mom, you know that much. Turns out, she hasn't seen Polly since she sent her away, she didn't know where she is, Hiram Lodge bought the Register, someone's been taking pictures of me-"

"Wait, what?" he interrupts quickly. "What did you just say?"

"Yeah, Hiram Lodge used me to make my parents sell the paper. He sent them pictures of me as a threat. Though, there was a pretty good one of us that made my mom assume I was pregnant-"

"What the fuck!" he exclaims. Veronica hadn't said a word about pictures. Suddenly he starts praying to everything he can think of that might be holy that there is not a picture of him naked with Betty out there in the world and that her mother, her fire breathing dragon of a mother, hasn't _seen_ it if there is.

Betty starts giggling at that. "No, Juggie, don't worry, it was just kissing and maybe a little ass grabbing outside of my house."

"Must have been a Tuesday," he murmurs into her hair, relieved that it isn't worse. "Is that all of it?"

"No," she tells him, adjusting herself to relax on him completely. "Then Veronica showed up to tell me things I already knew, but only because my mom broke down."

"I'm sorry, Betty," he says, wrapping his arms around her tighter.

"She told me she told you first and that you were really pissed at her."

"She did. I am-"

"Why do you think no one thinks they can trust us with anything?" she interrupts him in a quiet, defeated voice.

"I don't know, baby," he whispers into the side of her neck.

Sitting up, she pulls away and looks at him. "What do you think the end game is?"

"If I had to guess, Hiram Lodge wants to run this town. Owning the paper means he controls the news. He's going to end up taking the Blossoms down. Buying land and convincing everyone you're improving the town, seems very political, right?"

Nodding she furrows her brow for a moment. "I didn't know what to say to Veronica.I mean, I already knew but knowing she did before me sucks. She said she's trying to help and I believe her but it doesn't make me feel better."

"If it helps, I think I said plenty to her and Archie on your behalf."

"Archie knew?" she questions with a hurt look on her face.

Sighing, Jughead just nods as she puts her head back on his shoulder. "He said I would have done the same for you. And he's right but I'm still upset with him and Veronica."

He kisses her forehead then tilts his head back onto the wall of the treehouse. "It's too bad we failed at running away when we were kids. Do you think we'd get away with this time?"

Jughead can feel the huff of breath from Betty's slight laugh.

"At least we can drive now? I really wasn't looking forward to sitting on your handlebars the whole time. We really needed a better plan back then."

Grinning, Jughead remembers her arguing with him ferociously to be the getaway pedaler. "Why weren't we taking your bike with us, again?"

"It was locked up, remember? It's part of the reason we were running away. I got in _so_ much trouble for riding my bike to your house alone."

"Ah, yes, now I remember. But you couldn't be dissuaded from trying to take all of your stuffed bears."

"You never leave a man behind, Jug."

They both start laughing at that and it lightens the somber mood that had fallen over them that day.

"What are we gonna do?" he asks her, lifting her chin with a finger so he can look her in the eye.

She just looks at him. "I don't know." Leaning forward to press a kiss to her lips he lets the feeling of her take the confusion and anger and hurt out of him for a little while.

* * *

 _ **Fall 2014**_

 _Betty is sitting at a lunch table waiting for Archie and Jughead to join her when she sees a shadow standing over her. Picking her head up she's confused as to why Chuck Clayton is even near her._

 _"Can I help you?" she asks politely._

 _"You should tell that weirdo to keep his comments to himself," Chuck tells her, his face angry._

 _"Who?"_

 _"Oh please, like you don't know who the weirdo is," he states with a scoff. Seeing the blank look on Betty's face he must realize she really has no idea. "The one with the hat?"_

 _"Jughead?"_

 _"Yeah, the weird one with the weird name."_

 _"He's not weird," Betty insists, sitting up straighter._

 _"Whatever. Just tell him to keep his mouth shut."_

 _Betty doesn't know what he might of said but it was probably true if Jughead cared enough to say it where Chuck could hear it. "Is it because he's right? Is that why you're so mad?"_

 _Chuck's face clouds over, angrier than before. "Your little white trash friend is going to regret opening his mouth if he does it again. I don't care if Archie Andrews wants to get between us again, I'll make it hurt."_

 _Betty is shocked by the fury in his voice. "Don't talk about him like that."_

 _"And what are you gonna do, Baby Coop?" he says mockingly._

 _"That's not my name. And leave Jughead alone," she tells him with an increasing outrage._

 _Chuck laughs at her. "You got nothing. Nothing. Just tell your little puppy to keep his loser mouth shut."_

 _Betty can feel herself clenching her fists, her vision is blurry with her anger and before she realizes what she's done she's thrown her juice all over Chuck and his white shirt. Her ears are buzzing and she knows he's yelling at her, calling her names but she doesn't really know what's happening until she hears Jughead asking her if she's okay._

 _She looks at him in time to see him throw a punch at Chuck, hitting him right in the nose, blood pouring out before Chuck moves and hits Jughead back, in the eye, knocking him down on the ground._

 _It's not until later when they've gotten in trouble and put ice on Jughead's eye that she knows she'll never tell him what Chuck said about him. She cares about him too much to hurt him with words she already knows he says to himself._

* * *

 **Thursday Night**

Walking into the house, tossing her hair behind her shoulders, Cheryl makes her way to her Nana Rose and kisses the top her head. She can feel her Nana's hand come up to pat her arm with sweet affection.

Smiling down at her, Cheryl tells her, "Don't worry, Nana Rose, you won't have to worry about Daddy. **Ever** again."


	22. Chapter 22

_**Thursday Late Afternoon**_

 _After finally getting her mother to calm down, Betty is about to call Jughead to tell him what's going on when she gets a text from Veronica asking if she can come over. She's a little surprised after she texts back a **Sure, come on over** that her doorbell rings less than a minute later._

 _Opening the door for Veronica, she notices she looks nervous. Her eyes are red rimmed and she's radiating anxiety._

 _"What's wrong, V?" she asks her, concerned. "It's not Archie, is it?"_

 _"No, he's fine. Well, I assume so unless Jughead has gotten hold of him in the last few hours," Veronica replies walking past her into the house, toward the living room._

 _Betty is baffled by that. "What?"_

 _"I don't want you to be mad at me, though you have every right to be," she starts. "B, I've been keeping secrets."_

 _"Uhm, okay. Bad ones? Because good ones don't usually make people look terrified."_

 _Veronica has sad eyes as she looks at her. "Yeah. Bad ones."_

 _Her own anxiety ramping up, she tries to breathe deeply to maintain a sense of calm. "So, what is it you need me to know?"_

 _"You know I love you, right? I do. You're the best friend I think I've ever had and I would never purposely hurt you, you know that don't you?" Veronica insists with an air of desperation._

 _Betty's anxiety skyrockets with each new word she's saying. "I do. I love you too, Veronica."_

 _She's shocked when Veronica starts crying at that before blurting out, "I've been keeping stuff from you, Betty. I wanted to find out more before I dragged you into it but with my dad coming home soon-"_

 _"Your dad is getting out of jail?" Betty interrupts her, her heart dropping at the thought._

 _"Yes, but that's not the worst part. He's been trying to buy the Register from your family and threatening you to do it," she finishes, a heartbroken expression on her face._

 _Betty is shocked but unsurprised. Had she not found out less than a half hour before, her reaction might have been totally different. "I know."_

 _"You know?" Veronica questions with wide eyes. "Did Jughead tell you?"_

 _"Jughead knows?" Betty purses her lips at this._

 _Veronica nods. "I told him earlier today, he was **not** pleased with me."_

 _"I'll bet."_

 _Betty's confusion pushes back her anger for the moment. "So, you knew about this and didn't tell me? And then you told my boyfriend? Why him first?"_

 _"Because-"_

 _"Actually, you keep going to him first, why is that?" she interrupts, a thoughtful look on her face._

 _Veronica walks close to her, taking her hand, drawing her down to sit on the sofa next to her. "I know I give Jughead a hard time, mostly because it's fun," she says, smiling softly at her, "but truth be told, I don't think there's anyone who loves you more."_

 _Betty manages a small smile in return at that. "I get that, I do. But I'm capable of handling the bad stuff, making me feel weak by keeping things from me isn't helping me in any way."_

 _"I'm sorry, Betty."_

 _"By the way, your dad already bought the Register," Betty starts. "My parents finalized the sale last week after the pictures showed up."_

 _Veronica is visibly confused. "What?"_

 _Grabbing the envelope off of the table, she hands them to her._

 _Veronica face goes from confused to horrified as she flips through the photos. "I didn't know about these, Betty, I swear, I only knew he was using you as a threat to make the sale go through."_

 _"I believe you," she tells her. "My mom told me about the rest of it just a little while ago."_

 _"Betty-"_

 _Breathing in deeply and exhaling she turns to Veronica. "I know you weren't trying to hurt me, okay? I'm happy you're telling me now and not lying to my face anymore but I think I need some time."_

 _Veronica's eyes start to water again. "I really am sorry, B."_

 _"I know. We'll be fine, alright? I just need some space to think."_

* * *

 **Friday Morning**

"Did you guys hear?" Kevin almost shouts as he rushes into the Blue and Gold on Friday morning.

"No, what?" Betty asks, turning quickly to her friend.

"There was a raid at Thornhill last night, which you did _not_ hear from me if my father asks, and they found the drugs he had been storing there but that's not even the news," Kevin hurries out. "It's that when the police went into the barn, they found Clifford Blossom dead. He hung himself from the rafters."

"Oh my god, what?" Betty exclaims as Jughead jumps up from the chair he was sitting in. "He _hung_ himself? Has anyone seen Cheryl? Is she okay?"

"No one has seen Cheryl yet, not that I know of, but I would think she's at home today," Kevin informs them. "It came out of nowhere and everyone is still shocked."

 _That's one way to take out a drug ring,_ Jughead thinks to himself. He must be in an obvious state of musing when Betty cuts off his thoughts.

"You better not be about to come up with an insensitive joke, Jughead," Betty tells him firmly.

 _How did she even know?_ His eyes meet hers in bewilderment. "How-"

"I've known you almost my whole life, Juggie. You make bad puns and jokes when you don't know what else to say."

Kevin is staring back and forth between them. "That's true. Remember the time Archie's hamster escaped outside and you told him about how hopefully little Butterball poisoned whichever cat found and ate him?"

Betty is shaking her head at the memory of that. "Archie glared at every cat he saw for at least a month, Jug."

"Okay, yes, I may not handle things appropriately but hear me out-"

"No," Betty interrupts. "You're going to say something terrible and I'm going to laugh and then I'm going to think about it at the worst time and-"

"It's the ultimate cliffhanger!" Jughead bursts out, sighing in relief after he says it. "There, that's better."

Betty has her hand over her eyes, trying to maintain her sense of decency but Kevin starts giggling which sets her off. "That is horrendous, Jug. Just really bad."

"I know but I can't help it," he responds before asking Betty, "Does this mean Polly and Jason can leave Shadow Lake?"

Betty's eyes light up. "God, I hope so. I wonder if Cheryl's told Jason yet."

Kevin makes a _hmm_ sound and looks to Jughead. "Wait, was Archie's hamster even named Butterball?"

Rubbing a hand on the back of his neck, he winces. "No, but it was the name of the cat that ate him."

* * *

 **Friday Lunchtime**

Admitting that he and Betty are avoiding their best friends is something they know they're both dancing around. While Betty is hurt by Veronica, Jughead is flat out angry with her and Archie both.

While he understands where they're both coming from, he can only imagine the reaction if he or Betty had withheld information in the same way. And while they do keep their secrets, they've never tried to keep back anything that might have to do with someone's safety.

Betty hadn't even known she was being photographed. Neither had he and had he known, he would have been far more observant and careful than he usually is. And yes, he knows that logically, while Veronica didn't know she was being photographed either, she _had_ known she was being used as leverage. So did Archie. If something had happened to Betty while she was out, alone, not thinking about her immediate safety, he doesn't know what he would do.

Nothing smart, sane, or legal probably.

The hurt puppy looks Archie sends his way every time they pass each other is making him more and more frustrated as the day goes on. He'd already had it out further with him the night before after making sure Betty got home safely from the treehouse.

 _Jughead walks into the house and he can tell Fred has already come and gone to bed. Hopefully Fred can relax for a little while after the SoDale project is done. He breezes past Archie who's sitting in the kitchen, eating what looks like leftovers._

 _Heading for the fridge for a drink he doesn't even look at him as he pulls out a soda._

 _"Come on, Jug," Archie implores. "You have to understand my position in this."_

 _Jughead takes a drink while considering what to say. "Oh, I understand it. I just think it's bullshit."_

 _"Veronica was trying to take care of it!"_

 _"Yeah, and you know what? She didn't even have all of the information," Jughead tells him, his voice on the cusp of fury. "Betty talked to her mom and did you know Hiram Lodge must have hired someone who is taking pictures of her? To threaten her parents into selling the Register, which by the way, worked."_

 _"Jug-"_

 _"Put yourself in my place, Archie. Just try it," he says, setting his drink down and gripping the edges of the kitchen island tightly. "Imagine Veronica is in danger, for no other reason than some lame ass power grab of a small town. Can you do that?" Jughead leans forward and lowers his voice to an angry almost snarl. "Now imagine that you've loved Veronica for as long as you can remember and she's your best friend and you find out your other friends were keeping secrets that could get her hurt."_

 _Archie takes a step back, he's probably never seen Jughead this intense before. "Jug, I'm sorry-"_

 _"Of course you are. It's so easy to be sorry after the fact, isn't it? What kills me, Arch, is that Betty has been your best friend for over a decade. How can you ignore that because someone you've known less than six months asked you to?"_

 _Archie leans forward again, elbows on the top of the island. "Look, I was giving Ronnie the benefit of the doubt, she's not trying to hurt Betty-"_

 _"That's the point, Archie! She loves Betty, we know that, but it doesn't exactly matter how much she loves her if Betty gets hurt because she kept her mouth shut." Jughead exhales loudly. "I don't want to fight with you, man. I don't have the headspace to give it thought right now."_

 _Grabbing his drink he starts to leave the kitchen when he hears Archie ask, "Is Betty as mad as you are?"_

 _Stopping to turn, he scoffs at him. "You know Betty, she's hurt but doesn't blame you. She's taking some space from Veronica and letting me be mad enough for the both of us."_

 _"You know how much I care about Betty, Jughead. I would never want anything to happen to her."_

 _Running his hand through his hair, he takes his beanie off then puts it back on, stretching his neck side to side as he considers Archie for a moment. "That's what makes this so much worse, Archie. Just **so** much worse."_

"Earth to Jughead?" Betty's voice pulls him out of his thoughts.

"What's up?" he asks, turning to her on the bench of the lunch table they're sitting at.

Betty smiles genuinely at him, pulling a paper bag out of her school bag with a flourish. "Ta-da!" Handing him the bag, her smile gets bigger.

He knows she's trying to cheer him up. He's been so mad for the last day she's told him she's convinced his eyebrows are going to get stuck in the 'angry' position as she calls it. "And this is?"

She rolls her eyes at him. "Jug. Just open it you, grumpy hairball."

"Hairball? Really? Are you eight years old today?"

Pursing her lips, she just lifts a shoulder in a shrug. "I think I have Butterball on the brain. Poor Hans Hamsterton, he didn't deserve that."

"I can't believe Archie let you name his hamster," he tells her, reaching into the bag. "Oh, Betts. Sweet baby girl, you're magic. Have I told you that recently?" Leaning over and grasping the back of her neck gently with his free hand he pulls her into a kiss, deepening it for a moment before turning back to the table.

"Is that the reaction I'll get every time I bring you pie?" she asks him, laughing at his dreamy eyed look as he stares lovingly at the container.

"This isn't just _pie_ , Betty. This is chocolate mousse pie. You're lucky we're in school or there'd be missing pants and legs in the air," he tells her seriously, taking a bite and letting out a happy sigh.

"Whose legs, mine or yours?"

Jughead is trying to resist talking with his mouth full because that means he has to swallow and not immediately eat more or keep eating and possibly disgust his girlfriend. "Whoever's legs you want, but if I'm being honest, I prefer it be yours."

Laughing at him, she hands him a napkin and shakes her head at him. "You're so ridiculous." Her face turns somber as she says, "How long are you going to hold it against them?"

He shrugs at her, still eating. "I'm mad, Betty. It is what it is right now. The real question is, why aren't you angrier?"

Betty sighs at him, leaning into his shoulder. "I know her heart was in the right place, Jug. She wasn't trying to hurt me."

"I know that but I'm mad and looking to stay that way," he tells her. "This, to me, is a hundred times worse than you and Veronica going off into Ghoulie territory looking like ' _Mug Us Please'_ billboard ads."

"You're never going to let that go either, are you?"

He looks at her seriously for a moment. "No. No I don't think so. You aged me at least five years that day, you know."

Staring at him she raises an eyebrow. "Damn. I thought I had distracted you that day from why you were mad."

"Is that what that was? A distraction?"

Huffing a breath out she starts packing up her bag. "It was supposed to be."

"It was," he murmurs to her. "A _fantastic_ one."

* * *

 **Friday Afternoon**

"Betty? Could I talk to you?" Archie asks her as he sticks his head into the Blue and Gold after school.

She sees her boyfriend roll his eyes and shake his head before putting his headphones on and turning to face his laptop.

"Sure, Archie. What's up?"

Walking further into the room, he looks tired and sad as he looks over at Jughead. "You know I'm sorry, right?"

"Oh Archie. I do know, I know you were doing what you thought was right, I get it, really but it doesn't fix it," she tells him, giving him a half smile.

Hearing a scoff in the background, she rolls her eyes at him acting like he didn't just give himself away that he wasn't really listening to music.

"Him?" Betty points to Jughead in the chair. "He's still mad. And I don't know why he's not letting it go, but he seems pretty content to let it fester for awhile."

"Yeah, I figured that out last night," Archie says, adjusting the straps to his bag on his shoulders.

"He'll be fine, he just needs time to pout-"

"I do not pout, Betty," Jughead interrupts.

Betty exhales in slight frustration. "So, as you can see, he's in a mood."

Archie just nods at her in agreement. "Anyway, Ronnie wanted me to tell you she really wants to talk to you."

"Arch-"

"What part of Betty needs space does she not get, Archie?" he interrupts Betty again.

"Jug-" Betty starts as she turns to look at him. He's taken off his headphones and stood up, arms crossed and glaring at Archie.

"No, Betts, he came to apologize, right?" Jughead asks her. "So why did he apologize then immediately ask for a favor for Veronica? How is that a sincere apology?"

Making eye contact with Archie he looks away immediately. "You didn't come just because Veronica asked you to, did you?"

"Betty, I _am_ sorry and I was going to give you the space Jug said you wanted but Ronnie-"

"See?!" her pissed off boyfriend exclaims, cutting Archie off.

Her head is starting to hurt. She can see the two sides of their stories and she's not entirely sure she wouldn't be holding a grudge if they had done the same thing to Jug but she just wants everyone to be friends again.

"Can you guys not do this right now?" Betty implores, rubbing her temples to ease the stress building.

"Great, now you've upset her, Archie," Jughead mutters angrily before walking over to her, wrapping her in his arms, pressing a kiss to the side of her head.

She lets her head fall to his shoulder and puts her own arms around his back, gripping the fabric of his shirt. She can see Archie backing up until he's leaning on the doorframe.

"Just tell Veronica that I'll find her, okay? I just really don't want to think about anything right now."

Archie nods his agreement as he leaves the room, shutting the door behind him.

"Juggie, we need to talk about why you're so angry, okay?" Betty pulls back so he can look up at him. "You were mad about the Ghoulies, which was fairly justified, but you are really coming down on them over this."

"And you should be but you're not," he tells her, putting his hands on her shoulders to hold her steady as he stares at her. "You need to let yourself feel what you want to feel when someone hurts you, Betty."

"Jug-"

"Listen to me, okay?" He's insistent, walking her backward toward a desk so he can lift her up and sit her on top of it. "No one told either one of us a thing until we either asked or they had no choice. Do you know how angry I am that if you hadn't confronted your mom or Veronica's dad wasn't coming here that we still wouldn't know? Being followed and having your privacy invaded because of someone else's fight? It's infuriating."

Her hands reach up to play with the collar of the flannel shirt he's wearing. "I just don't want to think about it." She pulls her hands back after a few seconds and shows them to him, palms out. "This is what happens when I think about it."

Taking her hands in his, rubbing his thumbs over the indentations he leans into her. "Hiram Lodge is dictating your life and I hate it. Your mother does it and the people at this school take advantage of you, you do not need more to deal with."

Sitting up straighter she angles her head so she can catch his lips with hers. "We should do something fun tonight after the game."

"Football season is still going?" he asks as his shoulders slump a bit. "Why? You don't think they'll call it off because of Clifford Blossom do you?"

Shrugging at him, she pushes him so she can hop off the desk. "I have no idea. I don't even know if the River Vixens are going to cheer with Cheryl not there."

* * *

 **Friday Night**

Less than an hour after the game that still went on as normal they're sitting in a booth at Pop's, Jughead eating most of Betty's fries as she keeps slapping his hand away from her milkshake when Archie and Veronica walk in.

Jughead stiffens immediately. He hears Betty sigh as his body language changes but he can't help himself. He's still so angry and doesn't know how to let go of it, not when it comes to Betty.

"Can we sit?" Veronica asks, gesturing to the empty side of the booth they're sitting in.

Frowning at them, he knows they're going to keep coming back until they get what they're after. "If you want."

They both slip into the booth, neither of them making eye contact with him but he sees Veronica give Betty a small smile.

"I know you're unhappy with us, Jughead, but-"

"That's an understatement," he interjects.

Veronica takes a deep breath and tries again. "I know you're unhappy but we need to work this out before it becomes something bigger than it is."

Looking at her straight on for the first time since they entered Pop's his eyebrows shoot up in astonishment. "Something bigger? What's bigger than threats and stalking? Kidnapping?"

"Juggie, please let them talk," Betty whispers to him, putting a hand on his thigh, willing him to calm down.

He closes his eyes and lets his head fall back on the vinyl of the booth while trying to even out his breathing. "Fine."

"Anyway, as I was saying," Veronica continues, "we need to work this out. And I think we have a way to make it up to you both."

"Go on, V," Betty encourages when she stops and looks at Archie.

He can hear Veronica take a deep breath before talking. "Daddy will be home next week. I was thinking you should come meet him, the both of you-"

"Oh for the love of _fuck_ , Veronica," Jughead almost shouts, his head coming back up so fast he feels his neck crack. "That's a hard no."

"Hear me out," she says to him, hands held up in surrender. "Daddy doesn't know I know anything yet. Maybe we can do a little misdirection and sleuthing while he's distracted."

"This is your father, Veronica. You're going to betray him? Really?"

Archie takes her hand in support before she keeps going. "Look, I know who he is now. He is not a good man and I love my father but I don't like him. What he's doing is wrong."

Betty leans forward on her elbows on the table. "When?"

While Jughead should have seen this coming he's still surprised she agreed to it so quickly. Putting his head in his hands, slumping further into the booth he starts muttering lowly to himself. "Why am I even shocked? It's like she thinks she's a cat with nine lives. Or, at the very least, Harry Potter, he had like, what? At least two lives. I am going to have a stroke before college, I can just feel it."

Betty nudges him with her elbow. "Are you done complaining?"

He looks at her and shakes his head. "Not even remotely close. I _do not want_ you doing this, Betty."

Taking his hands in hers, she moves until she's facing him on the bench seat. "I want to control the narrative, Jug. We need to take the power back."

Exhaling as loud as he can in protest he looks at Veronica. "When?"

* * *

 **Late Friday Night**

"Jughead? What are you doing?" Betty whispers to him as he climbs through her window as quietly as he can.

"Shhh," he whispers back to finding his feet on the floor finally.

Her hair is down and she's wearing those small cotton shorts and a thin t-shirt that he curses every time he sees them from Archie's room. Before he can say anything else she goes to lock her door as quietly as she can.

"What are you doing?" she asks again after she makes her way back to him.

"Would you believe me if I told you I was training for the ladder climbing Olympics?"

"Not even if you paid me."

He huffs a soft laugh out at her. Reaching out and pulling her into him he tightens his arms around her and buries his head into her hair. "I haven't been able to really touch you since we went to Veronica's cabin."

With a smirk and lift of her brow she tugs on his suspenders, jerking him forward. "Is that right?"

"It's a crime," he says into Betty's ear, making her shiver.

She's already taking the flannel shirt he's wearing over his t-shirt off when she asks, "What about Mr. Andrews?"

"Archie is covering for me, I told him he owes me at least that much no matter how uncomfortable it is for him to think about."

His girlfriend can't stop her giggling but is trying to keep it quiet as the shirt falls to the ground. Once his arms are free, he puts a hand over her mouth. "Shh, you need to be quiet, do you understand me?"

He can feel her breathing increase at his words and he smirks at her. "Did you like that?"

She nods at him with wide eyes as his other hand moves up and into her hair, grabbing a handful before lightly pulling it, her head going back with the movement. With a hitched breath, she lets out a quiet little whimper and her knees hitting into him as she stumbles slightly.

"You weak in the knees for me, Betty?" he questions smugly.

Green eyes flare at him. He can tell that part of her wants to challenge him but the part that doesn't is winning out.

Taking his hand off from over her mouth, he slides it down her side, tracing his fingers against the side of her breast and down to the hem, pushing it up until it's up past her ribs, giving him access to the soft skin he's been missing. The goosebumps he's leaving make him smile at her again as she continues to stare at him.

Letting go of her hair, her head comes back up and she immediately starts pulling on his t-shirt to get it over his head. Stepping back from her to keep it on, he reaches for her shirt to take off first. Once it's over her head, she's standing in front of him bare from the waist up in the moonlight of her room.

"You're beautiful, you know."

Tilting her chin down, she's averting her eyes at his compliment but he takes her chin in hand and turns her head to look at him once more. "You're beautiful, do you understand me?"

Her eyelashes flutter as she fights closing her eyes.

Pointedly staring at her until she looks back at him she finally nods her assent. Accepting it, he runs his hands down her sides and back up over the undersides of her breasts, causing her to jerk at the sensation.

"Quiet," he demands, tugging on a chunk of her hair. She's biting her lips and nodding at him when she reaches for his shirt again.

"I didn't hear you say please."

Eyes wide and breathing increasing she takes a moment before whispering, "Please."

"What was that? I don't think I heard you."

"Please, Jug," she whispers just a little louder.

Finally agreeing, he lets her pull his t-shirt off and drop it on the ground with the rest of the clothes they've taken off.

Stepping forward he runs his fingers along the waistband of the shorts she's wearing, pulling lightly on them to signal he wants them off.

"Yes."

"Yes what?"

"Yes, please," she tells him as he moves them down, letting them fall to the ground.

He almost groans loudly when he realizes she's not wearing panties. "Are you trying to kill me, baby?"

Shaking her head Betty reaches for the buttons on his jeans, undoing them and moving his pants past his hips. He stops her to step back and out of his boots before letting them fall. Making sure he's got his socks off, he stalks forward, grasping onto her hips as he reaches her. Arms go up and around his neck, naked chests pressed together and he's trying to control the urge to push himself into the softness of her abdomen.

Turning them around, he walks backward to where he knows her bed is. As they're moving slowly she's pushing his boxers down before she looks up and notices he's still wearing his hat. A breathy laugh escapes her as she tugs it off of his hair and tosses it to the nightstand.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he brings her into his lap, letting his hands trail up and down her spine as she straddles him. The heat of her on him as she moves makes his breath hitch and he holds her still.

"Don't move," he tells her in a firm whisper. She immediately stops, resting her weight on his legs as she stares at him.

He puts one hand on the back of her neck, bringing her in to press his lips to hers, slipping his tongue into her mouth to slide against hers, his other hand moving to her jaw to keep her in place as he moves down her neck, softly biting with open mouthed kiss as he trails down to bury his face into her chest, lightly kissing over and under them until gently sucking her nipple into his mouth making her squirm and struggle to be quiet.

"What did I say?" he says in a low tone, pulling back from her chest.

"To be quiet and don't move."

"Do you need me to make you be quiet?"

Betty's body jolts at the insinuation and he turns them on the bed so her back is flat against the mattress and he can comfortably put a gentle hand over her mouth. Sitting on his knees, he slips his other hand between her legs, a little surprised at how wet he finds her.

"You really like this, don't you?"

She nods behind his palm, trying to keep herself from squeezing her legs together.

Sliding one, then two fingers into her, he puts his thumb against her clit, using the slight pressure he knows she likes as he moves it in circles. Jughead can feel her breathing increase, the little pants against his palm as she lets her eyes fall closed.

Letting go of her mouth, he drifts down her body until he's situated himself between her legs, putting more pressure on her and using his free hand to run his fingers along her inner thigh. It doesn't take long before she's biting into her own fist, shaking with the buildup before she almost kicks him off of her as she comes.

"You're so violent, Betty. What if you kick me somewhere important one day?"

"Shut up, Jug, I can't think yet."

Quietly laughing at her while laying his weight on top of her, kissing her deeply as he grinds himself into her. "This is dangerous."

"Mmhmm," she agrees, reaching for the drawer of her nightstand, pulling out a band-aid box.

"Band-aids? I don't think this is their intended purpose."

Huffing at him she opens it and pulls out a condom to hand to him. "My mother doesn't snoop in this box for some reason."

Sitting up and opening the package, he slides the condom on before laying back over her. "Put your legs around me."

"Like this?"

"Higher. Tighter. There."

He slides into her with very little resistance and his world goes white. Wondering if it will always be like this, he puts his head into her neck and breathes heavily as he thrusts in and out of her.

"Oh god, Jug," Betty breathes into his ear as quietly as possible as she reaches to grab a handful of his hair. Tugging on it, his body shivers even more.

"Fuck, oh-," he manages to groan into her hair. "Baby, oh my god."

He moves to kiss her to keep them both quiet and they end up panting into each other's mouths, not able to get enough air to think clearly.

Jughead feels the buildup and the heat and the spine tingling perfection coming down on him as he moves faster, Betty's legs locked around his back, her nails biting into his shoulder blades. One last deep thrust and a strangled moan as quiet as he could into her neck as he comes, he finally has the presence of mind to take a deep breath.

A few moments after coming down he rolls off of her but bringing her into his side, their skin still damp with sweat and hearts beating fast.

"Betty?"

"Yeah?"

"I didn't make you uncomfortable did I?" He wouldn't be able to handle it if there were ever a time she didn't enjoy herself.

"No, of course not. Why?"

"I don't want you to go along with something if you don't like it. You can say no whenever you want, no matter what."

Betty tightens the arm she's got laying across his middle. "You were more forward than usual but I liked it."

"I think it's easier to be yourself in the dark, you know?"

Jughead feels her press a kiss to his shoulder before she says, "True. Lies and honesty both come easier in the night, don't you think?"

"Mmhmm. You believe me when I tell you I love you?"

"Always."


	23. Chapter 23

_**Friday Afternoon**_

 _"Jughead, are you ever going to forgive me?" Veronica asks after following him into the school library._

 _The truth is, he doesn't know. He's almost choked up by the time he looks at her. "God, Veronica, I want to. Betty wants me to, fuck does she want me to, but every time I think about how she could have been hurt by your lying to the both of us, I am incredibly angry all over again."_

 _"I need you to try," she tells him with a trembling voice. "Betty is the best person I've ever met and while it's true that boys come and go, I know if it comes down to me or you, it's not going to be me she chooses."_

 _Tiredly rubbing his eyes before he looks over at her he thinks he gets it, the intensity of her wanting forgiveness. Losing Betty as someone you can count on is one of the more terrifying things he thinks about and in that, he understands her. He knows Betty would want him to try._

 _He also knows he would do anything for Betty. "I am going to try but it's not for you, okay? Maybe in time, once this is all over, I'll figure out how to let it go but for now, this is about Betty." Seeing her red rimmed eyes, he relents a little more. "I consider you my friend, Veronica, and I almost never say that, so I promise I'll try."_

 _Veronica's head nod and small smile as she walks away makes him wonder if he's being, as Betty puts it, 'so dramatic, Jug, oh my god'. He turns around at the feeling of eyes on him and he sees a pair of big green eyes peeking past one of the bookshelves, watching the interaction._

 _He wants to smile so badly at just how adorable he finds her but he knows he should put up a front of offense that she was spying on him. Frowning with a big sigh he turns to face her fully before he head can pop back behind the bookshelf. "Did you get what you were after, Betty?"_

 _Jughead hears her exhale loudly before she steps out into view._

 _"Yes. Mostly."_

 _"Mostly?"_

 _She shrugs at him. "I was going for full forgiveness but I'll take what I can get."_

 _"C'mere," he says, reaching for her. "I'm going to try, okay?" Wrapping his arms around her, he puts his forehead on hers, closing his eyes in relaxation at her proximity._

 _He feels Betty put her arms around his back, her fingers curling into the cotton._

 _"It's been a week, you know," she murmurs to him._

 _"I thought you were working on your subtlety, baby?" he whispers into her ear, tugging lightly at her earlobe with his teeth._

 _By the way her breathing increases and the shiver that runs through her he thinks he's got her sufficiently distracted._

 _"I'm subtle!" she exclaims quietly. "I was simply making an observation."_

 _"An extremely obvious one where your intentions may as well be written in neon above your head."_

 _She pushes at him trying to break out of his grip. "Ugh, fine, but we're still going to Veronica's this weekend so you better get used to the idea."_

 _"Oh, I'm used to it, I just don't like it," he tells her, not letting her go and slowly walking her back until the soft bump of the shelves stopped her movement. "I am never going to like it. In fact, if I thought there was a chance I'd survive kidnapping you until this was all settled, I would."_

 _"You don't think you'd survive kidnapping me?" she asks with a smirk._

 _Jughead moves his hands to cup both sides of her face. "I know I wouldn't. Can you imagine? If you didn't kick my ass, I could just see Veronica braining me with one of those scary shoes she wears and, I don't know, hog tying me with those pearls of hers."_

 _Laughing loudly and trying to keep it quiet she leans forward to kiss him, her hands moving back to hold onto his shoulders. Once she tries to pull back he pushes himself against her, holding her in place, tilting her head back and deepening the kiss, letting the feel of her tongue against his distract him from the fact that they were very much in a public space._

 _When he finally breaks the kiss, he takes a deep breath, smelling the sweet scents of her hair and perfume._

 _Betty looks at him sweetly. "We're still going, Juggie."_

 _He sighs and nods. Like he ever had a chance otherwise._

* * *

 **Saturday Evening**

"Daddy," Veronica starts, "these are my friends Betty and Jughead. And this," she continues with a slight pause as she latches onto Archie's arm, "is my boyfriend, Archie Andrews."

"It's a pleasure to meet you all," Hiram Lodge tells them. Betty isn't buying the charm he's oozing but she plasters on her very best smile and steps forward to shake his hand even as she feels Jughead slip a finger in one of her belt loops, trying to hold her still.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Lodge," Betty says, reaching her hand out and trying not to recoil when he slips his hand into hers. She didn't expect the feel of loathing to burn into her when she laid eyes on him but it does. This man is ruining her family; and for what? Power.

She hopes he can see the disgust in her eyes.

Archie shakes his hand next and in true Jughead fashion, he gives him a salute while refusing to acknowledge Hiram directly. Sighing internally, she knows her boyfriend is going to cause a scene at some point in the evening.

Sending him a pointed look she rolls her eyes when he just shrugs at her and follows Veronica into another room.

"So, let's sit for a little bit before dinner," Veronica tells them, gesturing to the sofa. "I also had a few snacks put out since I knew Jughead was going to be here."

Jughead immediately reaches for a bowl of popcorn before sitting next to her. "You didn't have to do that, V," she remarks. "Did she, Jug?"

"I never turn down food, Betty. So, even if you didn't have to, thank you, Veronica," he says, sending a smile in her direction.

Betty and Veronica share a look they hope the boys don't see. Not that Betty would ever admit that they devised a plan of food as a way to make amends with Jughead but if it works, then, well, she's just going to call that a win. She'd been plying him with baked goods for the last week but coming from her, the one person he seemingly can't be mad at for more than an hour, it hadn't been very effective.

And sure, Veronica wasn't going to show up with muffins or cookies but she could put out snacks that Jughead just happens to like, and if the intel came from Betty herself on what he likes, what's the harm?

Making small talk with the man she knows is blackmailing her family is harder than she thought it would be. She wants to lash out, to yell at his audacity, to promise retribution but all she does is smile politely and feign interest in whatever banal bullshit is coming out of his mouth. She can hear Jughead continually make what she knows are sarcastic rebuttals in every movement and sound he makes.

Betty is starting to think he's keeping his mouth full just so he won't say anything, which she appreciates but knows won't last.

So she's not surprised in the least when less than five minutes later when Hiram asks about his name that it's the beginning of the end.

"Is Jughead a nickname?" Hiram asks, looking intently at him and she can see the calculation on his face.

Just shrugging and sitting back on the sofa, slumping like it's an insult to the Lodge living room he replies, "Yes, it is. The real thing is worse."

"And what is the real thing?"

"You know, I use the nickname so I don't have to tell people the real thing. I'm not looking to change that anytime soon, Mr. Lodge," he states, the challenge clear on his face.

Hiram takes it in relative stride even as Betty thinks she finally understands what Jughead means when he says she's going to kill him. Heart racing, she reaches over and takes his hand and he winces with how hard she's gripping it.

Sitting back into one of the more formal chairs, Hiram seems to consider Jughead for a moment. "You remind me of someone, Jughead. He too, had an odd nickname. Have you ever heard of Poppa Poutine?"

"No, I don't believe I have."

Betty can see Archie's eyes bouncing back and forth between the other men in the room. Veronica doesn't look like she's breathing and Betty herself is squeezing her boyfriend's hand, praying for him to just _shut the fuck up already_.

"Not that it matters, mind you, since he's dead now," Hiram announces with ease. "His son-"

"Please tell me his son isn't named Baby Gravy or-" Jughead interrupts. Archie chokes on air, trying to keep a straight face.

"No, Small Fry, actually," Hiram finishes. "Where was I? Oh yes, see Small Fry wanted retribution for his dear Poppa and unfortunately, he never got it."

Jughead is staring hard at Hiram. "Every story has a moral, right? So what's the moral in this one?"

"No moral, more of an anecdote, really. But it does seem that the son always end up paying for the sins of the father, doesn't it?"

"Why's that?"

"Because Small Fry wanted revenge and now he's dead. Sometimes, the only conclusion is to let sleeping dogs lie, don't you agree, Jughead _Jones_?"

Betty is on the edge of hyperventilating and she knows she's leaving marks in the skin of Jughead's hand when he sits forward, letting the elbow of the arm she doesn't have a hold of relax casually on his leg. "I think I'd prefer to give the benefit of the doubt to the sons paying for their father's sins. Or, in some cases, daughters as well," he says with a quick glance at Veronica. "And maybe some dogs need to be woken up. Or even put down."

It's like watching two bulls getting ready to charge each other when Veronica claps her hands and states, "I think dinner should be ready by now!"

Sighing in relief Betty stands, pulling Jughead up with her.

* * *

 _ **Friday Late Afternoon**_

 _Cheryl finds her before Vixens practice._

 _"Cousin Betty," she seems to coo at Betty. It puts her on high alert since this is the first time she's seen her in a week. "I have news."_

 _"How are you, Cheryl? I'm sorry to hear about your father," Betty says to her sincerely. Sure, she hated Clifford Blossom but she doesn't want anyone to lose their father._

 _"You're not that sorry, but that's fine. Neither am I," Cheryl states. "That's not my news. I wanted to let you know that JJ and Pollykins have moved home-"_

 _"Home?" Betty interrupts confusedly._

 _"To Thornhill, of course. Where else would home possibly be?"_

 _"Polly-"_

 _"Isn't interested in living with the people that sent her away to a convent for the egregious sin of being pregnant," Cheryl cuts her off. "That being said, Polly wants me to invite you to the baby shower I'm throwing for her on Sunday."_

 _"This Sunday?"_

 _"What other Sunday do you think I could possibly mean?"_

 _"Of course, sorry. Tell Polly I'll be there," she responds. "Is our mother invited?"_

 _"You may tell her if you want but if she comes and upsets Polly in any way, she will be escorted out. You can even bring your hobo if you want, just make sure he's dressed somewhat decently and don't let him eat all of the food."_

 _"Thank you, Cheryl."_

 _She gives her a short nod before looking her up and down. "Now let's practice before your thighs rip the seams out of those shorts."_

 _Tugging the hem down on her shorts self consciously, she follows Cheryl into the gym._

* * *

 **Saturday Evening**

"Veronica tells me that you run the school newspaper, Betty," Hermione Lodge says to her as she lays her fork down next to her plate.

Betty, still a little freaked out after the stunt Jughead pulled, looks at her wide eyed before answering. "Yes, I do. With Jughead."

"Of course. And do you want to be a journalist like your parents?"

"I like it, yes, but I don't know if I want to do it as a career."

Hiram Lodge is calculating in his looks as his eyes flit back and forth between her and Jughead. "You'll have to excuse me for forgetting to mention it, since I assumed it was a known courtesy, but hats are inappropriate at the table, don't you think?"

Betty closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. The tension is palpable and in that instant she knows Jughead was right. They should have never come here, it's been a waste of time with not even a second where one of Veronica's parents haven't had their eyes on them. She thinks one of them might even stand outside the bathroom door if she needed to use it.

Jughead sits up straighter, visibly annoyed. "I'd really rather not, if you don't mind."

"Forgive me, Jughead, I must just be used to a different etiquette," he responds calmly, taking a drink from the wine glass in front of him.

"So is that what prison is like then? A finishing school? Hats off next to your plastic trays of mass produced food and don't forget to close your eyes if someone drops the soap?" Jughead remarks, tossing his napkin over his plate.

"Jughead!" Betty whispers loudly to him, trying to convey her need for him to _seriously, just shut the fuck up._

He stands up, pulling her with him. "I find, Mr. Lodge, that my manners, while lacking for someone of your stature, have served me well so far in life."

"Is that so?" Hiram questions, leaning back and looking vaguely amused by his audacity.

"Yes. You see, I may be from the wrong side of the tracks but I did seem to learn one thing that you haven't," Jughead tells him.

"Which is?"

"That while hats at the dinner table may be considered socially unacceptable, I never thought it was less socially acceptable than blackmail."

* * *

 _ **Friday Evening**_

 _He's waiting for her in the Blue and Gold office to get out her cheerleading practice, staring at their crime board from his place on the sofa, lost in thought when she enters, still in uniform._

 _"Hey," she greets him, smiling and bouncing over to him._

 _He's amused by her happy energy. "What's up?"_

 _"Cheryl told me Polly and Jason are at Thornhill and she's throwing them a baby shower on Sunday!"_

 _"Hmm, so Polly is living at Thornhill now?"_

 _Betty's smile fades a little. "Yeah, but she should, shouldn't she? She loves Jason and my parents sent her away, I wouldn't want to live at home either."_

 _"I can see that. So, are you ready to go?"_

 _Walking over to him, she sets herself on his lap. "Or, you know, we could use our alone time to our advantage."_

 _"Is that right?"_

 _Nodding at him with a coy smile, she settles herself even further into his lap, putting her hands in the back of his hair, running them up and through it until his hat falls off and to the side, landing on the cushion._

 _"Are you trying to tell me something, Betty?" he asks, trailing his fingers up and over the outside of her thighs. "I feel like you're flirting with me."_

 _"Who, me?" she says, hands now playing with the collar of his shirt._

 _He knows he's smiling at her, probably ridiculously so, but he can't help himself. "Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?"_

 _Biting her lip and staring wide eyed at him she thinks for a moment before answering. "Hmm, Veronica has."_

 _"Just Veronica?"_

 _"Uhm, Dilton Doiley once when he tried to get me to go to a dance with him-"_

 _"Dilton asked you to a dance?"_

 _"Yeah, but we had already agreed to go together and watching you squirm when I made you dance with me was gonna be more fun than going with Dilton."_

 _He glares at her a little. "You made me dance with you to mess with me?"_

 _"Sometimes."_

 _Leaning up, he whispers in her ear. "I've got news for you, baby. I loved dancing with you, you'd always press your tits against me and the hardest part was pretending I hated it."_

 _Betty starts giggling and pulls back to look him in the eye. "Little Juggie was a pervert?"_

 _"Oh yeah. You gonna answer me?"_

 _"I don't know, it was just some guy I know. Totally unremarkable, your average run of the mill-"_

 _He cuts her off with a kiss, putting a hand on the curve of her neck to hold her in place. "You're beautiful, Betty."_

 _Rolling her eyes at him she grins at him. "I bet you say that to all the girls."_

 _"Other girls exist?"_

 _"Oh my god, you're so lame, you know that, right?" she tells him, moving her hips in a small circle, making his breath hitch._

 _"Insults, Betty? Has it come to that? Is the shine gone from our relationship already?" he groans out at her, throwing his head back against the sofa. "How will I ever survive?"_

 _She leans into him, nipping at his earlobe softly. "You know, I once heard that orgasms are healing."_

 _"Are you sure you didn't just make that up?" he says to her, letting his fingers travel to the inside of her thighs, moving up slowly and making her muscles tighten and her eyes close._

 _"Oddly enough, no. I really did read that somewhere."_

 _"Does my girl read porn?" he questions, finding that she was missing the blue spandex shorts she usually wears under her cheer skirt and was wearing nothing but her usual cotton panties._

 _"Porn makes it sound trashy, Jug."_

 _Running his fingers at the creases of her thighs, slightly under the elastic edges of her panties he smirks at her. "So you do read porn?"_

 _She shivers and grabs his shoulders in a tight grip. "Let's just agree to call them romance novels, okay?"_

 _He laughs at her, thumbs slipping further under the elastic to find her warm and wet for him. "Who knew Betty Cooper was so dirty?"_

 _Her hips jerk slightly, pushing her further into his hands. "Oh please, Jughead. You were the one pretending to hate dancing just to feel me up by proxy."_

 _"I make no apologies for that, I happen to think it was one of my more brilliant ideas."_

 _Slipping her panties to the side, he slides a finger into her, keeping his thumb moving in circles on her clit, watching her bite her lip and struggle to keep her eyes open._

 _"Betty."_

 _Her only answer is a slight moan as she grips his shoulders even tighter, the possibility of bruises making him breathe a little harder, move a little faster. Who knew having his girl mark him would trip his trigger?_

 _"Elizabeth."_

 _She finally focuses enough to hold his eyes for more than a mere second. "What?"_

 _"I just wanted to see your face," he says, slipping another finger into her with no warning. She sucks in a sharp breath, something he finds incredibly satisfying. He must hit something magical with his fingers because her whole body tightens around him, her head falls to his shoulder, and she starts breathing harder and faster._

 _So, he does it again._

 _And again._

 _And he keeps doing it until she's shaking and he's almost concerned about her breathing pattern but he only stops after her hands reach down to grab his wrist and hold it still. Turning her head into the curve at his neck, he can feel the light sheen of sweat he's caused._

 _Trying not to sound like a smug jackass as he slowly slides his fingers out of her, careful not let them drag across her, making her messier than she already is he asks, "Is this what you had in mind?"_

 _He hears a muffled murmur of agreement and he can't stop the laugh that comes out. She sits up slowly like the effort is just a little too much and as soon as she's upright he doesn't think before putting his fingers in his mouth. She's flushed and staring at him with big eyes, still breathing a little harder than normal when he slides them back out and pulls her into a kiss. Running his tongue across her lips, against her tongue, the hold he has on her jaw tightening until she's mostly lax against him, he kisses her until they both need to catch their breath._

 _"Are you ready to go home now?" he asks, gently pushing some of the hair that has escaped her ponytail back behind her ear._

 _She reaches for him, hands going to the waistband of his pants. "Don't you want-"_

 _"It can wait, we don't want to give your mom a reason to hate me. Well, more than she already does."_

 _A soft giggle comes out as she tries to stand on shaky legs. "I don't think she hates you, she just, ugh, I think it's more about your father than you."_

 _"What? Why?" he asks but then stops and his face twists in disgust. "Gross."_

 _"Sorry to make you think about it, Juggie."_

 _"Talk about a mood killer. Now I'm definitely good to go home. Yuck."_

 _Laughing and taking his hand, she leads him out of the Blue and Gold, her bag in his hand as they make their way out of the school._

* * *

 **Saturday Night**

"What is wrong with you, Jughead?!" Betty yells at him as soon as they get out of the Pembrooke and onto the sidewalk.

He honestly doesn't know. Keeping his mouth shut had become impossible somewhere between getting out of the elevator and the first words Hiram Lodge had spoken. His defenses, however, were already in motion long before the rational part of his brain kicked in. "Me? You heard the way he spoke, Betty! That man is a criminal and he's made multiple efforts to ruin your life. Possibly mine as well!"

"I know that, Jug-"

"No, Betty, what part of me not wanting to do this did you not get?" Jughead interrupts, almost shouting at her on the street.

"Then why did you come?" Betty asks in a tired voice.

"You know why," he says. "I came for you."

"How was starting a fight with Hiram Lodge for me, Jug? How? You did exactly what you weren't supposed to do!"

"You can't expect me to sit back and watch the world hurt you, Betty. I can't. I _refuse_ ," he tells her in a shaky voice. "There's no universe where I can let that happen."

Her eyes soften for the first time since they made it outside. "The world," she sighs, "it comes for everyone, Jug."

"Maybe it does," he informs her. "But when it comes to you, I won't let it win."

Shaking her head, she just shrugs at him. "Walk me home, Jughead."

Nodding at her, he sticks his hands in his pockets and follows her on the long walk home. "I'm not sorry, Betty."

"I know."

After an almost completely silent walk to her door he touches her shoulder to get her to turn to him. "Do you still want me to come with you to Polly's baby shower tomorrow?"

"I don't think so, Jug," she answers with a sigh. "I- I don't know how I'll feel tomorrow but right now I just want to enjoy seeing my sister again, okay?"

The words feel thick in his throat as he tells her, "Yeah, sure."

As she's reaching for the doorknob he can't help himself as he asks, "Still love me?"

Turning to him she has a sad smile on her face. "Of course I do."

"And tomorrow?"

"Even then."

He looks at her with remorse, not sorry, but wishing the night had ended differently. "Always?"

"How about forever?"

Feeling just a little lighter at that, he smiles at her. "I'll take it."

* * *

 **Sunday Morning**

Betty wakes up to a text from Veronica. I _'ll pick you up today, we'll drive to Thornhill together. Okay?_

A quick reply of _Sure, sounds good_ improves the lingering sadness from the night before.

Spending the morning catching up on homework, trying to convince her mom to ride with her and Veronica to the shower, and going through far too many outfits proves to be a good distraction from being upset with her boyfriend.

At noon she gets the text that Veronica is waiting outside with her car. Yelling a goodbye to her mom and telling her that she'll see her at the shower she runs out the door and down the stairs and slips into the car. Turning to say hello to Veronica she stops short and chokes on the words.

"Miss Cooper, how are you? I think it's time we had a talk, just you and me, don't you agree?"

"Mr. Lodge?"


	24. Chapter 24

**Sunday Afternoon**

Jughead is _not_ moping around the Andrews house, but if he was, he thinks he would be allowed just this once.

He also refuses to admit that he's jumped for his phone every time it's made any sort of sound. Part of him cannot believe he's actually upset he's missing a baby shower of all things and then there's part of him thinking he missed a bullet.

And if he tries to convince himself that the part of him that's upset about missing it is thinking about the food, well, he's always been decent at lying to himself.

He scrambles for his phone when, _finally_ , the text message notification goes off. Archie is laughing at him, plucking at the strings of his guitar.

"Shut up, Arch," he groans out in irritation, trying to concentrate on the screen. Veronica?

 _Are you and Betty running late?_

"What?" he mutters. "Me and Betty?"

He sends out a quick reply. _What? I thought Betty would be with you?_

"Something wrong, Jug?" Archie asks, setting his guitar down and moving to sit next to him.

"Veronica asked me if Betty and I were running late," he answers, confused. "Betty sort of, you know, uninvited me from the baby shower after our train wreck of a dinner."

"I can't possibly imagine why," Archie says under his breath.

Jughead rolls his eyes at him. "Yes, I could have handled it better and yes, it got me in a sort of fight with Betty, but you have to admit, Hiram Lodge is an asshole."

"That he is," Archie agrees. "Just be glad you're not dating Veronica-"

"I am. Every single day, my friend," Jughead interrupts.

"He was not pleasant about the _'you're dating my daughter, you better pray I don't kill you'_ speech," he continues as if Jughead hadn't spoken.

Distracted, Jughead is staring at his phone screen when another text pops up. _What do you mean you thought Betty would be with me?_

Furrowing his brow in confusion he responds quickly. _Isn't she? I'm with Archie Maybe she went with her mom?_

She doesn't reply for a few minutes and his stress levels seem to go up with each passing second.

 _Veronica?_ Is the only thing he manages to send before getting a text that makes him drop his phone and the color leave his face.

Archie looks cautious as he grabs his phone from the floor. Reading the text he hears him ask, "Jug, what does this mean?"

Grabbing his phone from Archie, he rereads the text, hoping he's misread it.

He hasn't.

 _Alice just showed up and said Betty said she was coming with me, that she saw her get into my car but she didn't come with me, I don't know where she is._

He calls Veronica so fast he can't even get the words out when she answers right away. "What- what do you mean you don't know where she is?"

Jughead can hear the panic in her voice as Archie starts asking him what's going on. Putting a hand up to him to make him shut up, he's having a hard time hearing Veronica over Alice leaving a frantic voicemail for Betty in the background.

 _"I mean, Jughead, that she didn't come with me, she didn't come with her mom, and she's not with you. Her mom said she got into the car with me, but that's not possible. Smithers drove me. I thought I was meeting Betty here."_

Trying to regulate his breathing he closes his eyes and grips the phone so tightly he can hear the plastic parts of it squeak in protest. "Veronica, if Alice saw Betty getting into a car that looks like yours, is it safe to assume your father has access to another one?"

Jughead hears her suck in a sharp breath.

 _"You don't think- I mean, I know he was mad about last night but- oh god, Jughead what do we do?"_

"I don't know," he starts to say but can't finish over the panic. He feels Archie take the phone and can vaguely hear what he's saying to Veronica on the other end.

"Ronnie, yeah, make sure your dad is there, if not, that's probably not a good sign. Yeah, I'll make sure he's okay. Talk to you later."

He's sitting on the edge of the bed, elbows supported by his knees as he puts his head down to try to think and breathe. Feeling Archie sit next to him, putting a hand on his back, he looks over at him.

"Ronnie is going to see if her dad is home then let us know. There's no need to panic if-"

"There is a definite need to panic, Archie. Betty got into a car and no one has heard from her since. I don't know if you know this, but in horror movies? That's not a good thing!"

"Jug, man, come on. We both know that Betty would be the kick ass blonde that survives the whole film, although aren't they usually virgins? Because sex apparently equals being murdered in movies," Archie tells him, a contemplative look on his face.

"I know you're trying to distract me, Arch, and that you mean well but you just inadvertently told me my girlfriend would die in a horror scenario because I've slept with her. That...that does not help, okay? Don't put that into my brain," Jughead implores, looking back down to stare at his phone like it has all the answers.

"Maybe I should call my dad? Or Kevin's?"

He sighs, not knowing what would help. "What do you think your dad or Sheriff Keller is going to accomplish?"

"I don't know, Jug," he answers him, shrugging and looking lost.

"I'm pretty sure the police can't do anything until she's been gone for twenty-four hours. And your dad? Man, he's barely been here for the last few weeks since he started that SoDale-" he cuts himself off. "He just wants to scare her. He can't possibly be stupid enough not to realize how easy it would be to implicate him, her parents have pictures of her being followed, they _just_ sold the Register to him, there'd be too much circumstantial evidence to overlook which would just start making the police look closer at what he's been doing and he does not want that."

"We don't even know if he-"

"Of course he did, don't be stupid. Betty got into the car because she thought it was Veronica. So, the real question is, where would he take her and why?"

* * *

 _ **Summer 2010**_

 _Jughead can hear the quick stomping of Betty's shoes on the stairs, running her way to Archie's room. Before he can even pause the game he and Archie are playing, the door swings open and he sees a blur of blonde and pink before Betty steps over him to sit between him and Archie on the floor._

 _"If my mom asks, I'm not here," Betty tells them, grabbing Archie's controller, playing the game in his place._

 _Archie looks over at her confused. "So where are you, then?"_

 _Betty shrugs. "Dunno. Not here." Her face turns intense in concentration, focused on the game she's now beating him at._

 _Jughead takes a quick look at her as she bites her lip in frustration as she almost blows herself up. "You're wearing your Nancy Drew clothes."_

 _Betty nods, not looking at him. "Yeah, I was gonna use the new handbook my dad got me."_

 _"Handbook?"_

 _"Yeah!" she exclaims as an answer and in victory as she won the game, throwing the controller back to Archie. "Wanna see?"_

 _"Sure," he says, seeing Archie roll his eyes. Betty making them play detectives isn't his favorite game._

 _She sees Archie's face and tells him, "You don't have to come, Arch."_

 _Picking up the controller she threw at him, he looks relieved. "I'll see you guys later."_

* * *

 **Sunday Afternoon**

By the time Veronica arrives at the Andrews house, no one has heard from Betty, her phone is unresponsive, and Hiram Lodge is definitely nowhere to be found. Jughead finds her sitting on the stairs, staring at her phone screen.

"I think I'm missing messages," she whispers to him in a sad and tired voice. "Betty and I agreed to meet there, you know?" She turns to him and her eyes are red and for the first time since he's known her, her makeup is smudged. "I thought she was coming with you or her mom so I didn't talk to her this morning. But look-"

He takes the phone she's holding out and looks down at the screen. There's a message from Betty earlier responding to something that was no longer there. "Do you think your dad texted Betty from your phone to get her to expect a ride from you?"

"Am I a bad person for hoping he didn't?" she asks, her voice breaking by the end.

Jughead sighs and wraps an arm around her shoulder. "Nah, we all want to believe the best of our parents."

"He's a bad person, Jug," she tells him. "I know he is. No one's life has ever gotten better from knowing him."

"And he's still your father."

Veronica nods, her head falling down as the first tears trail down her cheeks. "Yeah, he's still my father."

His eyes are stinging and it's taking everything he has in him to be calm. "Where do you think your dad would take her?"

"I have no idea."

* * *

 _ **Summer 2010**_

 _"Come on, Juggie!"_

 _He's trying to keep up with her, but she's always been faster than him. Racing toward where she said she hid her new book so her mom can't take it away he can see her blonde ponytail swinging as he falls behind her._

 _"Betts!" he calls, huffing and already sweating. "Slow down! You're too fast."_

 _Slowing down and turning to look at him with her hands on her hips. "Maybe you're too slow."_

 _Bending over, trying to catch his breath he silently agrees with her. "Okay, but I'm dying and you're just standing there."_

 _"You're not dying, Jughead. Besides, you know I took a first aid course, I'll just have to, like, revive you or something."_

 _"It's the 'or something' I'm worried about," he states, standing upright and stretching out the cramp he gave himself from running too fast._

 _"It's not even that far, how are you tired?"_

 _"I was made for the indoors!"_

 _"You come swimming with us all the time, you liar," Betty says, rolling her eyes at him._

 _"Betty, you're gonna be sorry when I die," he laments dramatically._

 _Huffing out a sigh, she walks back over to him. "Alright. We'll walk, you big baby."_

 _"Thank god."_

* * *

 **Sunday Afternoon**

"Where's Alice?" Jughead asks.

Veronica, wiping her eyes, looks up at him. "She stayed with Polly at Thornhill. Polly's pretty upset about the whole thing and asked Alice to stay with her."

He just nods silently at that. If he was to take a guess he'd bet the guilt of sending Polly away was eating at Alice. Which it should if he was being honest, there was very little sympathy he could spare for the Cooper parents over the situations they create for themselves.

"Veronica, if you could guess where your dad would take Betty, where would it be?"

Shaking her head at him she starts crying more. "I don't know."

Jughead feels like he's going to go crazy if he doesn't start doing _something_ soon. It's been easy to take a step back and try and keep Veronica from freaking out but his self control on that is quickly running out. "You know what? I can't do this anymore. Tell Archie I went out, okay?"

"Jug-"

"No, I can't be here waiting around, I just need to, I don't know, go think or something," he tells her, already up and heading towards the door.

Once he hits the cool air of the day he knows exactly where's going to go.

* * *

 _ **Summer 2010**_

 _Finally reaching their destination, Betty pulls out a book with a blue cover._

 _"See?" she asks, turning to face him with a bright smile. "Think of all the things we can learn now!"_

 _"Like what?" he questions, taking the book from her and opening it. Skimming over a couple of pages he frowns and looks up at her. "Betts, this is about 'managing your hair when the convertible top is down'."_

 _"What?"_

 _"Yeah, and this part is 'how to tap out Morse Code using your high heels'," he tells her with distaste. "Aren't we supposed to be learning how to pick locks and karate chop someone in the throat?"_

 _"High heels?" she asks him, the smile falling off her face. "Really?"_

 _One of the only things Jughead can't stand in his nine years of life so far, aside from someone who thinks burgers aren't the best food in existence, is an upset Betty Cooper. "Well, okay, but look, this part is about 'thwarting a kidnapping'! That's gotta be helpful, right?"_

* * *

 **Sunday Afternoon**

Standing outside his dad's trailer door, he doesn't know yet what he's going to say. Knocking on the door, feeling like he couldn't walk right in anymore, there is a moment where he thinks he's going to stop breathing from the buildup of the last twenty-four hours. He'd exploded at Hiram Lodge, had an almost fight with Betty, sat around sullenly all morning until finding out his girlfriend has gone missing, probably taken by the man he provoked.

To say that Jughead felt like this whole thing was his fault is being a little bit generous. If something happens to her because he couldn't keep his mouth shut- no, he can't even do that to himself yet.

With no answer at the door, he tries the knob, finding it unlocked. _Smart, Dad,_ he thinks as he steps into the trailer. It looks the same as the last time he saw it. Sad and alone and almost abandoned. If he was feeling more morose and less without a mission he might compare it to himself.

Finding no one in the trailer he turns to leave as he spots a motorcycle helmet on the kitchen table. Remembering there is an old bike under a tarp outside he grabs the helmet and spots keys he hopes work on the counter as he hurries out the door. If his dad isn't home and he's not working, there's only one place he would be.

The Whyte Wyrm.

Steeling himself, Jughead calls back all the lessons his less than sober father had given him about riding motorcycles, praying he doesn't crash before he gets to his destination.

* * *

 _ **Summer 2010**_

 _"Thwarting a kidnapping?" Betty asks him, twisting part of her ponytail around her finger. "I guess it's better than," she says, taking the book from him and looking at it, "'How to write SOS backward with lipstick'."_

 _"Wouldn't that still be SOS?"_

 _Betty just looks at him confused. "Maybe they mean, like, backwards letters?"_

 _Jughead rolls his eyes at that. "Do you even have lipstick?"_

 _"No, but I have a glue stick," Betty informs him primly, her annoyance at his tone clear._

 _Trying not laugh he looks at the book once more. "Don't glue sticks dry clear?"_

 _Staring at him in indignation she tells him, "Maybe it's a secret SOS, Jug! You don't know everything."_

 _Sensing she's fighting her own disappointment, he switches direction. "You know what would be really cool to have?"_

 _"What?"_

 _"One of those pens that record messages, like a spy pen."_

 _Betty's eyes get a little brighter. "Yeah, that would be cool. Maybe I can ask for one for Christmas this year?"_

* * *

 **Sunday Afternoon**

Shakily getting off the motorcycle, Jughead vows to himself to never tell anyone how terrified he had been on the, admittedly short, ride to the Whyte Wyrm. Taking off the helmet and setting it on the seat of the bike, he braces himself as he walks in the door of the bar.

Looking for his dad as soon as he enters, he tries to avoid eye contact with anyone else, knowing that if they think he's looking for a challenge someone will be more than willing to start one. With his eyes sweeping across the bar, he spots a table of Serpents near the back and his shoulders fall a bit. He had been hoping to catch his dad alone.

Making his way to the back, he mentally checks himself to keep it together, especially for where he is at the moment.

Tapping him on the shoulder, he keeps his voice steady as he says, "Dad."

"Jug?" FP asks, turning around to face him.

"I need to talk to you," he tells him, tilting his head in indication that he wants to go outside. "Privately."

FP's eyes sharpen at his tone and he starts to stand when someone interjects, "Ahh, FP, you're not going to just jump because your boy says so, are you?"

Twisting to look at the person speaking, Jughead struggles to keep his mouth shut.

"Come on, Jug," his dad says, leading him out of the bar.

Once outside, FP notices the motorcycle. Jughead can hear him take a deep breath before facing him.

"You took the bike?"

"I have a good reason," he answers. "Hiram Lodge, Dad. I need to know what he hired you to do."

"You know what he wanted us to do. We did it and I haven't had any contact since," his dad tells him. "That's a promise, Jug. What's going on?"

"We're pretty sure Hiram Lodge took Betty earlier today," Jughead responds, his voice finally cracking. "And it's my fault."

Breaking down in the parking lot of a less than reputable bar isn't how he wanted his day to go but at the feel of his dad's arms coming around him, he lets go and starts crying into the leather of the Serpent jacket he's wearing.

"Why do you think it's your fault?" FP asks after waiting for him to catch his breath and calm down enough to speak.

"I knew Hiram Lodge was bad news, Betty knew it, too. And she asked me not to provoke him but I did it anyway."

"Well, you never were very good at controlling your mouth, Jug."

Wiping his eyes and standing straighter he lets out a small sad laugh. "Yeah, and you always told me it would bite me in the ass one day."

"No one's seen her? Heard from her?" his dad questions.

Shaking his head he scoffs. "Alice saw her get in what she thought was Veronica Lodge's car but Veronica never had plans to pick her up. Only one family in this town uses hired cars, Dad, you know that."

"Jug, it ain't your fault, you can't let that get to you, okay? Men like Hiram Lodge- they want your fear, your obedience. And the definitely don't do their own dirty work. I don't know what he'd want with her but I'd guess intimidation over violence."

"If anything-"

"Hey, she's gonna be fine," FP tells him, wrapping an arm around him.

Jughead can't focus past his own fears of something happening to her, ignoring the sounds of the parking lot around them. "You don't know that."

"Yeah, I do."

"What?" Jughead looks up at him, wondering why he's so confident in his words. Right now no one knows what's going to happen.

"Jug, we've both known Betty Cooper since she was nothing but a steel spine covered in pink ribbons and stubbornness. And," he turns him around to face the street, "I'm pretty sure that's your girl running this way."

His head jerks up and he looks out over the parking lot, finally registering the pounding footsteps of someone running as fast as they can. "Betty?!"

"Juggie!"

* * *

 _ **Summer 2010**_

 _"So, how does one thwart a kidnapper then?" Betty asks him, pulling out one of the contraband suckers Mrs. Andrews always sneaks her when she's over at Archie's from her pocket, handing it to him then pulling out another for herself._

 _"Hmm," he murmurs, reading the book while ripping off the candy wrapper and handing it to her. "It says to 'scream loudly and make a scene'-"_

 _"At least no one will ever kidnap my mom then," Betty interrupts, looking at her sucker and scrunching her nose. Jughead knows she hates the purple ones so he pulls his own green one out of his mouth and trades her. "Thanks," she says, sticking it in her mouth, making sure to put both wrappers back in her pocket so she doesn't accidentally litter._

 _"Wow, there's a lot of hitting involved in this," he continues. "Slapping, scratching, or elbowing them. Oh, ouch, go for the groin. That would hurt."_

 _"I think that's the point, Jug," Betty replies, sticking her tongue out to see if she can if it's gone green yet. It makes her go cross eyed and he laughs at the face she's making._

 _"Hey, it says here to go for the throat! See, so karate chopping the throat is a good idea."_

* * *

 **Sunday Afternoon**

He barely has time to brace himself before she throws herself into his arms, jumping as her legs go around his waist, head buried in the side of his neck, breathing hard and shaking. He's got one arm wrapped around her, holding her up and the other running over hair, touching her to make sure she's really there.

Jughead tightens his grip on her and whispers, "It's okay, baby, it'll be fine."

He can feel her nodding against his skin but he doesn't think she has any intention of letting him go any time soon. Turning to face his dad with Betty still in his arms, he looks at him, hoping for what, he doesn't know. Maybe some profound advice or answers to all of his questions but all he sees is his dad wearing a sad but satisfied expression as he tells him, "Get your girl home, Jug."

He nods at him. "Yeah. Alright. Let's go home, Betty." Walking over to the bike, he tries to set her down but her grip just tightens further. "You gotta let go so we can leave, baby, okay?" HIs voice is soft and gentle and it seems to convince her to finally let her feet touch the ground again.

Handing her the helmet, she just looks at him. "I could have sworn I wasn't gone long enough for you to have gotten a motorcycle?"

He smiles at her, gesturing to the helmet. "Put that on."

"What about you?" she asks, handing him the bag she had in her hand before putting it on and adjusting the strap to make sure it won't come off.

"Me?"

"I don't want your brain to become street pizza, Jug," she tells him in exasperation.

Jughead fights a grin as he looks at her and raises his eyebrow. "I guess I better be really careful then."

She exhales loudly and he knows he's won for the moment. "If this is something you're keeping, I better never ever see you without a helmet if you're on it again, okay?"

"Are you worried about me, Betty?"

"Of course I am, Jug, how could you ever think I wouldn't be?"

He throws her a smug smile, still relieved he can see and touch her. "I don't know Betty, you might like me reckless."

Rolling her eyes at him she points to the bike and he gets on it giving her the bag back and waiting for her to sit behind him, wrapping her arms tightly around his middle.

He won't tell her but he hopes his adrenaline lasts until they get back to the Andrews house because he's slightly worried that if it doesn't he's going to faint from sheer relief and then she'll definitely lecture him from the grave about helmets and brains as street pizza.

* * *

 **Sunday Afternoon**

The first thing Betty sees as they pull up the to the Andrews house is Veronica running out of the door. There's almost no time to get the helmet off of her head before she's knocked to the ground under Veronica Lodge, who is crying and babbling into her shoulder, telling her how sorry she is.

"It's fine, V," Betty tells her. "It really is, it's not your fault."

Jughead moves to grab her to help her up and Archie steps in to get Veronica up so they can head inside when she thinks about calling her mom.

"I need to call my mom," she says, pulling her phone out of her bag. Her mom answers on the first ring.

" _Betty?!"_

"Yeah, Mom, it's me."

 _"Are you okay? Where are you?"_

"I'm at Archie's, Jughead brought me home," she sighs out, tired from the entire day.

 _"I'm on my way right now, okay? I'm bringing Polly with me."_

"Alright. I'll see you when you get here."

 _"If you so much as move an eyelash from the Andrews, I want to know about it, do you understand me?"_

"Sure, Mom, I'll talk to you later," Betty answers, hanging up before her mom had a chance to say anything else. Looking around at everyone else she just says, "Come on, I only want to tell this once."

Settled on the sofa in the living room, she has Veronica on one side, holding her hand and Jughead on the other, an arm wrapped around her and holding her other hand.

"So, this morning I got a text from Veronica-"

"Not me," Veronica whispered sadly.

"No, not you but I thought it was. So, once I got into the car-"

* * *

 _ **Sunday Afternoon**_

 _"Mr. Lodge?" Betty asks, bewildered. "Where's Veronica?"_

 _"I do apologize for the method in which I got you here but Veronica has no idea of this meeting," he tells her, looking like he might actually be almost apologetic._

 _"What do you want?"_

 _"I just want to talk, that's all," he says before gesturing to the driver- not Smithers -to drive. "You, Miss Cooper, are both resourceful and stubborn and usually I like those qualities but I don't want you to cross a line you can't uncross."_

 _"Are you- are you threatening me more?"_

 _"More?"_

 _"Yeah, the pictures you had taken of me to force my parents to sell their paper?"_

 _He's smarmy in his smirk when he replies, "Scare tactics, really. Effective but I assure you, I had no intention of hurting you. Not when my little girl cares for you so much."_

 _"So, what do you want from me?"_

 _"I want you, Miss Cooper, to see my vision for Riverdale," he says, gesturing to the town passing by as they drive along. "Think of the possibilities; new stores, new housing, a profitable prison to keep us all safe-"_

 _"A for profit prison?" Betty interrupts, incredulous. He cannot be serious._

 _"Think of the jobs it would bring. Riverdale could thrive. It could make its mark on small town America, give the other towns something to strive for."_

 _"What does this have to do with me?"_

 _"Everything, Miss Cooper. And nothing at all."_

 _Oh, he's being cryptic, she thinks. That's not worrisome at all. "I don't get it." She knows she's only going to get one chance to grab her phone when the idea strikes. Reaching for it, she gets her hand in and wrapped around her goal when he takes the bag from her, setting it down next to him on the seat._

 _He sighs at her. "I expected better from you, Miss Cooper, you know."_

 _"Why?"_

 _"You knew that wasn't going to work and you still went for it anyhow. Tenacity, I like. Stupidity, not so much."_

 _"I had to try, didn't I?"_

 _He laughs. "I suppose you did. So, let me take you through my plan and then we'll talk details, yes?"_

 _"Do I have a choice?"_

 _"No," he tells her before directing the driver to the Southside. "Oh, I do want to thank you, though, for helping me with my Clifford Blossom problem. I didn't even have to do anything other than harbor a couple of runaways. You, and that boyfriend of yours, ended my problem and kept me completely out of it. I was almost proud of the both of you if I'm being honest."_

 _"Almost?"_

 _"You have the capacity to become quite the thorn in my side, you know. With your guard dog boyfriend and stubborn nature, I'm sure you'll want to make waves for me."_

 _"But you've already bought the Twilight-"_

 _"Yes, and someone burned it down, costing me time and money."_

 _"So, you didn't hire the Serpents to burn it down?"_

 _"Why would I do that? The Serpents served their purpose and I have no more use for them," he says, looking out of the car window._

 _"What do you want with me, Mr. Lodge?"_

 _"Miss Cooper, I want you to see my vision for this town," he tells her, asking the driver to stop. They're at the SoDale project? What?_

 _"Just look around you," Hiram insists, pointing out to the construction._

 _Following his line of sight, she looks. She still doesn't get what he wants with her but she stops to listen because fighting him isn't going to get her out of this predicament._

 _So she listens. He's taking her to each site he either owns or plans to buy, the Twilight, Southside High, even a detour to Pop's he explains- that one was shocking to her, Pop's shouldn't be in the hands of the likes of Hiram Lodge- and finally the Whyte Wyrm. He tells her that controlling where the crime comes from means safety for the town residents._

 _She doesn't say how he seems to be the most dangerous thing in Riverdale._

 _He's been long winded and self important and she wonders more than once how someone like Veronica came from this man. She wants him talking, though. Betty wants to hear all of his dirty secrets, it's the key to taking him down._

 _"And what happens when the people disagree with your vision?" she asks, looking at him in the eye._

 _"People just need to be convinced. And when you can't convince them, you control them."_

 _"What does that mean?"_

 _"Did you know, Miss Cooper, that there's a mayoral election coming up?"_

 _Betty is confused. "What? No, there's-"_

 _"Oh, let me say that again. There will be a mayoral election coming up," he explains. "When the Mayor and the Sheriff are having an affair, it gives one a bit of leverage."_

 _"Why are you telling me all of this? Aren't you worried I'm going to go straight to the Sheriff with this information?"_

 _He looks at her, smirking. "What crime have I admitted to? Information and goals are not crimes."_

 _"But you confessed to hiring the Serpents! And knowing about Clifford Blossom," she exclaims._

 _"Clifford Blossom? I'm just a concerned citizen about the drug problem in our fair Riverdale, I'm just glad you got to him first," Hiram tells her. "And the Serpents? I won't have an issue avoiding any consequences for their petty crimes but will they? Will Jughead's father?"_

 _And there it is, she thinks. The carrot._

 _He sees when she gets it. His smile widens and he leans toward her a little bit. "The thing is, Miss Cooper, I can make their lives so much easier. Or so, so much harder. What do you think you'll prefer?"_

 _"What are you saying?"_

 _"The chances of you getting out of Riverdale for college is what? Pretty high, I assume. Now, let's think about your dear Jughead. Do you really think he's getting out of this town? He doesn't apply himself in school. His family can't provide. And student loans? You really think someone with as much pride as Jughead Jones is going to become indebted to anyone willingly?" he tells her. "Wouldn't it be better if FP Jones and his son had comfortable and safe housing? If, somehow, Jughead gets a grant for his schooling? Say, a scholarship to whatever fine institution you find yourself at?"_

 _Betty's eyes go wide. "You're trying to buy me."_

 _"Not buy. Motivate."_

 _Reaching the corner where the Whyte Wyrm is located she turns and sees Jughead standing there with his father._

 _This is her chance. Her only chance._

 _Suddenly a memory of her and Jughead playing Nancy Drew pops into her head and she hears the Jughead of her memory telling her to go for the throat. So that's what she does while the car is idling on the street at a stop sign, waiting for another car to move. In one motion she throws the side of her hand into the center of his throat, grabs her bag, and opens the door, stumbling out of the car and running as fast as she can towards Jughead._

 _She never looks back._

* * *

 **Sunday Evening**

It takes him hours to get her alone after her explanation, her reunion with Polly and her mom. Her dad being out of town had meant a phone call that had her exhausted by the end of it and adding in Veronica's overwhelming guilt and constant apologies, he ends up becoming almost desperate to get her alone.

Archie squeezes her in a hug that went on just long enough to make him slightly nervous even though he knows there's nothing there, he's well aware that may be a sore point for a while longer yet.

He feels better when she immediately throws herself back into his arms after, when it's quiet and it can be just him and her. Alice had taken Polly back to Thornhill so they manage to sneak out and make their way to the treehouse, just missing Fred coming home from spending another Sunday catching up on paperwork at his office.

In the treehouse, he pulls her down and into his lap, burying his face into her hair and breathing her in with his arms tight around her.

"My day sucked, how about yours?"

She laughs lightly against him. "Yeah. Sucked pretty bad there for awhile, I have to admit."

"He didn't hurt you? Didn't try to?" he asks her, settling her further between his knees so she can lean back against him.

"No, but Jug, he's delusional or something. Or maybe he's not. I'm not sure but I know he wants to own the town. To run Riverdale," she answers. "Did you know Mayor McCoy and Sheriff Keller are having an affair?"

"What?"

"Mmhmm. I don't know how I'm supposed to handle that. Do I tell Kevin? Do I not tell him?"

Jughead sighs in frustration. "I have no idea, Betts."

"He wanted to buy us, Jug. Buy our compliance, our silence."

"Yeah, I know. He's wrong by the way. I would take loans to get out of Riverdale and there's enough time for me to get my grades up to maybe qualify for some scholarships or grants."

"You can do it, Jug, I know you can. You're so smart, you just need to start putting more effort into it," she says, laying her head against his collar bone.

He exhales into her hair. "Finding out you were missing, Betty, was one of the worst moments of my life."

"If it helps, it wasn't one of my better moments when I realized Hiram Lodge was in that car and not Veronica."

"I bet."

She turns around, setting herself on her knees and looking at him in earnest. "I have something I want to show-"

He can't help himself as he cuts her off, grasping each side of her face, bringing her forward to press his lips to hers. Holding her face still, he slips his tongue into her mouth, making her hands come around to hold onto his back. The soft slide of her tongue on his right before she sucks on his lower lip has him sitting up without breaking the kiss, moving her to lay on her back on the floor of the treehouse.

Slotting himself between her thighs he lays on top of her, putting his hands into her hair, pushing it back off of her face, looking down into her eyes. "We need to get out of this town, Betty."

"We will," she tells him and it sounds like a promise.

He kisses her again, pushing his hips into her as her legs come up and wrap around his hips. She pulls back and he sees her soft eyes and swollen lips and he think he falls in love with her all over again.

"I'm sorry," he whispers to her before leaning to kiss her on the forehead.

Betty looks up at him, confused. "Why?"

"I shouldn't have let Hiram Lodge provoke me, maybe if I hadn't he wouldn't have-" he cuts himself off, choked up again over the fear he felt earlier in the day.

"Hey, it's not your fault. I mean, yes, you shouldn't have let him provoke you but me believing you'd be able to be quiet is like me being surprised that pouring gasoline on a fire makes it get bigger. None of us used common sense."

"Still-"

"No, no more blaming yourself for someone else's choices. Now, I vote we defile the sanctity of this treehouse but if you'd rather talk about your feelings-"

He cuts her off with another kiss, sliding his tongue back in her mouth when she starts giggling at him. Her giggles turn into a soft moan quickly as he grinds down onto her. "The treehouse, really?" he asks as he pulls back and sits up on his knees.

"Well, we can go back to my house-"

"No."

"Or we can go to Archie's-"

"No."

She's laughing at him, looking up from where she's laying and he starts laughing with her. "Unless you don't want to, of course."

He glares at her. "You know that I do. How could I not?" Pulling his shirt over his head he shivers from the chill in the air. "Holy shit, it's cold, Betty."

"Details," she tells him, pulling on her own shirt, sitting up to get it over her head. Her bra isn't really visible in the dark but he thinks there's lace on it. He sighs to himself, oh how he's learned to love lace.

Reaching for the button on her jeans, he undoes it and starts shimmying them down her legs as kicks her shoes off. By the time he's at her ankles he can see the goosebumps from the cold all over her legs. Taking her pants off the rest of the way and dropping them to the side, he slips her socks off presses a soft kiss to her left ankle, then another a little higher.

He follows the line of her leg, running his lips over her calf, her knee, her thigh, all the way up to her hip bone, taking the waistband of her panties with his fingers and pulling them down pressing parallel kisses back down the line of her right leg. Tossing them on top of her jeans, he crawls back up between her thighs, laying down and settling her legs on his shoulders before he runs his tongue along her slit, using more pressure when he gets to her clit.

Betty lifts her hips with a moan and he puts a hand flat on her abdomen to hold her in place. Applying a little pressure to make sure she knows he wants her still her legs fall open slightly as keeps firm pressure on her clit while sliding a finger into her.

He's thankful there's no one around to hear her loud moan as he slides a second finger into her, thrusting them back and forth with the motion of his tongue. Her hand grips his hair as her hips try to jerk up as he keeps his hand pressed against her.

Trying not to get clocked upside the head by the jerking motion of her knees, he speeds up his movements to the sounds of her moaning and the feel of her toes curling into the skin of his back. It's not long until she's groaning his name out into the dark of the night and he's working her through her orgasm until she's pushing him off of her, an arm going up to cover her eyes while she catches her breath.

"Did you enjoy that?" he asks her while rubbing his palm across his chin, wiping his face off.

She lets out a breathy laugh and kicks at him with her arm still over her eyes. Grabbing her foot as she misses him he tells her, "Your aim is terrible."

"Shut up, Jug," she says before uncovering her eyes and giving him a satisfied smile. "Come on, I know you're keeping a condom in your wallet like the stereotypical teenage boy you are. Let's make sure it gets used before it expires."

He smirks at her, still pleased with himself for not coming in his own pants again. "We wouldn't want to be wasteful, now would we?"

"Of course not," Betty tells him, reaching out towards the waist of his jeans but he's beaten her to it, already sliding them, along with his boxers, down to the middle of his thighs. Grabbing for his wallet he pulls out the package, opening it and sliding it onto himself. Settling back over her as her legs come back around his hips, he jolts a little when he feels her hand on him, guiding him as he slides into her.

He takes a deep breath to help him keep his control as he starts thrusting in and out of her. When her legs tighten more, his hips stutter against her for a second as the movement pulls him in deeper. They're wrapped around one another as much as possible, panting into each other's ears, kissing bare skin when they can think enough to do it, whispering words of love to one another, the weight of the day hitting them when they realize how very wrong it could have all gone.

If he were keeping track of how long he's been lasting each time, he thinks this one might have actually impressed him as he feels the pleasure build and his body shiver as he forgets himself and slams into her as he comes.

He's worried he hurt her but he relaxes at the loud moan that comes out with each new harder thrust.

Laying on her, he's catching his breath as he hears her whisper, "You should do that more often."

"Oh yeah?"

"Mmhmm. I think I could eventually come that way."

Both of his eyebrows shoot up at that and suddenly he has a new life goal. "I think we can work something out, then."

It's less than five minutes later when they're dressed and dreading leaving each other for the night that she turns to him with big, excited eyes. "I tried to tell you earlier but you distracted me with sex-"

"I didn't hear you complaining," he interrupts, smiling at her.

"No, look!" she exclaim as she reaches for the bag she had only let go of long enough to let him hold it in the parking lot of the Whyte Wyrm. She pulls out something he's seen before and he sits up straighter as he reaches for what she's got in her hand.

"Is this what I think it is?"

Betty nods at him, one of the biggest smiles he's ever seen crossing her face.

* * *

 _ **Christmas 2010**_

 _"Jug!" Betty yells at him, running across the yard to where he and Archie are playing in the snow with Archie's new sled._

 _"What?" he asks, meeting her in the middle to see what she's so excited about._

 _"My parents actually got it for me," she says, breathless, as she hands him what she has in her hand._

 _His eyes go big with recognition and he looks at her in awe. "Is this-"_

 _"Yes!" she exclaims happily. "It's the recorder pen I wanted."_


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: This is it, guys, the end. If you enjoyed it, I'm glad. This is it for this site in regards to my work, the formatting and lack of feedback aren't all that welcoming but if you want to read the first 5 chapters of this fic's sequel, it's over on AO3 under Smudge. Thanks for reading!**

* * *

 _ **September 2017**_

 _"Is it done, Cheryl?"_

 _"Of course, Nana Rose. Would I ever let you down?"_

 _"I knew I could count on you, my sweet girl."_

* * *

 **The Aftermath**

It was true when Hiram Lodge told Betty he hadn't admitted to anything; he really hadn't directly confessed to a single crime he wouldn't be able to weasel his way out of. He did, however, give the police enough probable cause to start looking into his business dealings. Which led to investigations into his businesses, both legitimate and fraudulent.

While no one one could connect him to a violent crime, they could connect him to several counts of real estate fraud as well as the original crime of embezzlement that had landed him in prison the first time.

At least he knew what to expect when he went back to prison.

* * *

 **Sophomore Year**

"Was it true, Kevin," Betty questions, "the part about your dad and Mayor McCoy having an affair?"

Stabbing morosely at the food in front of him, he exhales loudly and pushes the plate away before leaning back into the vinyl Pop's booth. "Yeah. My mom is overseas and he's sleeping with someone else. Am I supposed to be happy step-siblings with Josie now?"

Betty reaches over and grabs Kevin's hand, holding it in hers. "I'm sorry, Kev."

Shrugging, he just nods at her. "At least when I showed up to a family dinner with my Serpent boyfriend he couldn't say a word. So, there's that."

"There is that," Betty repeats, smiling at him.

* * *

"How are you doing, Veronica?"

Flopping down on Betty's bed, she hugs a pillow to her chest as she huffs dramatically. "You mean since my mom rolled on my dad and testified against him? Not that I don't think she shouldn't have, but ugh, B, the drama of it all is too much. We need to take a girls day, no boys, full treatment. What do you say?"

Betty considers her for a moment. "What about money? Didn't they freeze your family's assets?"

"Yes. Daddy's assets," Veronica tells her with a sly smile. "Good thing my mom's been preparing for this for a long time, isn't it?"

* * *

"How long is he going to be gone for?" she asks him as he lays his head into the curve of her neck, wrapping his arms around her.

"Not long, just a few months," he murmurs into her skin.

Betty hugs him tight. "I'm sorry, Jug."

"It could be worse, I know," he tells her, lifting his head up to meet her eyes. "It's really not that bad compared to what it could be, especially with him testifying against Hiram."

She presses a quick kiss to his lips before saying, "We can go visit him every weekend, Jug. And make sure he has, I don't know, plenty of cigarettes for currency or something."

He laughs at her suggestion, it's the first time he's really smiled all day since hearing his dad was going to jail. "I wonder if he'll ever think what he did is worth it?"

Thinking about it for a second she lifts her shoulders in a shrug. "That's something only he can figure out."

* * *

"You got the job?" she asks excitedly, clapping her hands together in congratulations.

Jughead just shows her his new uniform shirt for the Bijou. "I have to wear a uniform, Betty. A uniform!"

Her lower lip pouts out dramatically as she tells him, "You poor baby. And to think, it took sixteen years but The Man finally took down the great Jughead Jones."

"Taxes, Betty! I have to pay taxes! This is how they get you."

"Welcome to America, Jug. Now shut your mouth, smile, and hand the government all your money."

"Aw, baby, I've taught you so well," he says sweetly, pulling her into a kiss as he tosses his new uniform shirt on the floor.

Pushing at him, she tells him, "You do know the Twilight paying you under the table was illegal, right?"

He just winks at her and laughing, they fall onto her bed.

* * *

"Is that motorcycle back, Jughead?"

He smiles brightly at her. "Yeah, my dad said I could have it, especially since he'll be gone for months."

"If I so much as hear a whisper you were on that thing without a helmet so help me-"

"Look!" he interrupts loudly, handing her a bag.

Pulling open the bag she stares into the bag apprehensively. "This is a helmet."

"Yes it is."

"It's pink."

"Also true."

Lifting her head with a gleam in her eye she smiles at him. "I didn't know you were changing your aesthetic, Jug. I'm not sure pastels are good with your skin tone but-"

"You know damn well it's for you, Betty. Now put it on, I'm going to take you to the river to fulfill one of fourteen year old Jughead's fantasies."

* * *

 **Junior Year**

"Semantics, Archibald!" Veronica yells loudly, slamming the door as she leaves.

Running after her, Archie is shouting, "Wait, no. Not semantics, Veronica!"

Jughead leans over towards a shocked Betty. "Is it wrong that I'm proud of him for knowing what semantics means?"

"Maybe? Yes? No. But only because I am, too."

"Do you know what happened?" he asks, sitting at his desk in the Blue and Gold.

Walking over to grab the papers off of her desk she nods. "Yeah, some girl kissed him."

"Wait. A girl kissed him? Did he kiss her back?"

Shaking her head, she tells him, "I'm pretty sure he didn't. They've been together for a year now, he wouldn't cheat on Veronica."

Stretching his hands above his head and yawning he relaxes back into his chair. "Then why is she so mad?"

"He didn't tell her about it right away."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

He sighs. "Oh, Archie."

* * *

"Come on, Jug. I know you don't want to but if you want to get into college you're going to have to at least try and study."

Throwing his pen down on the table, he scoffs at the books surrounding him. "Or, and hear me out, we could play Strip Studying as an incentive for me to learn?" At her unamused face he just keeps trying. "No? Okay, how about every time you find a semicolon I shouldn't have used, you take off some clothes?"

"Jughead."

"Betty. Betts. Light of my life. I just think if I could, say, focus on your gloriousness while learning obscure bullshit that won't matter past the SATs then I might absorb more of it," he pleads with her.

"Won't matter?"

"Yes! None of this is going to be important. If they really cared before they sent us out into the world, they'd teach us how to do taxes-"

Betty starts laughing at his indignation. "Are you really still mad you had to file taxes?"

"I still feel dirty, Betty."

* * *

"You what?"

She sounds a little nervous as she repeats it to him. "I went on birth control."

"I don't understand."

Rolling her eyes at him she tightens her legs around his hips. "It means you don't have to use that," she says, pointing at the condom in his hand.

Jughead thinks he swallows his tongue as he tries to get the words out. "What? Like, right now? I can just…?"

"Yeah, Jug, you can just-"

She stops talking as he slides into her with a moan. "Oh fuck. And to think people still think Eden is myth when I've found it. _Fuck me,_ Betty, if this is how I die just know that it was worth it."

* * *

 **Senior Year**

"You, Jughead Jones, can go right ahead and fuck yourself," Betty tells him right before stalking out of the room.

"What did you do? Did Betty just say fuck? What is happening?" Archie is asking him while the world is buzzing around his ears, making him dizzy.

Lost in his thoughts the only thing he can think to say is, "Betty's said fuck before, Arch."

Archie looks confused. "When?"

"Usually when we're-"

"No! _Never_ tell me that!"

Jughead slumps into the sofa that's still in Archie's garage. "She's pissed, man. Like, really pissed."

"What happened?"

"I told her I didn't want to use any of her Blossom inheritance to pay for my college tuition, that I didn't want her charity."

"Ouch."

"Yeah."

* * *

"Veronica is supposed to help me babysit the twins for Polly and Jason, not you," his girlfriend tells him angrily, trying to shut the door in his face.

Wincing at the pain from sticking his foot in the doorway he starts begging. "Betty, please, listen to me."

"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't realize it's only charity when it's money and not my time."

Cringing at her tone he tries again. "That money is for you. It's yours to start your life."

She swings around to stare at him with eyes rapidly filling with tears. "I thought _we_ were starting our lives. I didn't realize you wanted to start one without me."

Before what she's said hits him completely, he hears her running up the stairs and the slam of her bedroom door. Running after her, he throws the door open to see her sitting on her bed, face red from crying.

Jughead walks over to her, trying to take her hands in his but she won't let him. His heart drops as he realizes what that probably means. "Give me your hands, Betty."

She glares at him. "Feel free to leave."

Taking a deep breath, he reaches for her hands. "Betty."

At his tone she huffs and holds her hands out. He can see the red imprints and slight smears of blood. The sting of tears starts to hit until it feels like a rock in his throat. "Jesus, baby," he whispers to her, kissing each palm before taking her into his arms.

Sobbing, she's shaking and trying to push him away. Holding her tighter he starts talking now that she can't run away. He tells her that's not what he meant, that the money was for her college, he can figure something out, he never wants her to want for anything, he loves her so much doesn't she know that? Where she goes, he goes.

Later, when they're lying in her bed, cried out and exhausted she asks him, "Where I go you go?"

Kissing her temple, he sighs into her hair. "You just wait."

"Like glitter?"

"Glitter?"

"Yeah, you know, it's always seems like a good idea until you realize you're never getting rid of it."

He laughs at that. "Sure, like glitter then." A moment later he asks, "Who the hell thinks glitter is a good idea?"

* * *

"Betty!"

"What?"

Out of breath by the time he reaches her, he bends over to catch his breath, stretching his arm out, handing her the paper in it.

Her eyes get big as she reads it. "Is this for real?"

Standing he nods at her, the smile on his face big as he grabs her and swings her in a circle as they laugh.

* * *

 _ **September 2017**_

 _"So you'll do it?"_

 _"Do we have a deal?"_

 _"Yes, yes. You get this done and when the time comes, your tragic backstory of a son gets a "scholarship" for whatever pathetic school will take him."_

 _"Just so we're clear, you want me to get someone to set fire to the Twilight?"_

 _"Yes."_

 _"Why?"_

 _"It's personal."_

 _"Fine. I'll make sure it's done but it's gonna have to wait until my boy finds somewhere else to stay."_

 _"I don't care when you do it as long as it creates a problem for Hiram Lodge."_

 _"It'll be done."_

* * *

 **The Last Summer In Riverdale**

"You ever wonder what the Blossoms got out of buying back the Twilight land and hiring my dad to restore it back to the drive in?" Archie asks as they're waiting for the movie to start.

"It was their family land before, Arch. Maybe they just wanted it back the way it was, when it was great."

"They could be just trying to be charitable, Archiekins. Have the Blossoms ever offered a scholarship before this year?" Veronica asks, leaning over Betty to grab the popcorn from Jughead's hands.

Glaring at her, Jughead reluctantly hands it over. "Not that I know of but who knows? I didn't know about most of those grants or scholarships until I started applying for them."

"Maybe with Clifford Blossom gone, they're trying to change their drug dealing, maple mafia image? They did help my parents buy back their paper," Betty says, taking the popcorn back to hand back to him.

Smiling at her while Veronica glares at him, he grabs a handful. "Who knows what they're getting out of it?"

"You know I think you should do, Jug? Write a novel about all of it, what happened here in Riverdale; the corruption of small town America."

* * *

 **College**

"I'm exhausted, Juggie."

"Oh god, Betty. Me too."

"Want to take a nap?"

"Yes. _Fuck_ yes."

* * *

 **And So It Ends**

"What are you doing?" he can hear Betty ask sleepily as he trails kisses down over the skin of her stomach and over her hips. "Jug, today is-"

He smirks into her skin as she loses her train of thought and moans while reaching to grab a handful of the sheet beneath her. When her hips jerk up at the first pass of his tongue across the the crease of her thigh, he uses the palm of his hand to hold her down on the bed.

"What did we talk about, Betty?"

Her legs are restless as she tries to concentrate on what he's saying. "Uhm, about staying still?"

"Yes, what are you supposed to do?"

"Not move."

He traces small circles from her abdomen down and over her hip bones. "And what are you doing?"

"Having an involuntary bodily response-"

The soft smacking sound of his hand lightly coming down against the skin of her inner thigh jolts her out of her sarcastic answer. They both know it's what she was going for.

"How many times are we going to go over this, Elizabeth?"

Betty tries to pull her knees up as she arches her back against the mattress. "I dunno."

Pushing her knees back down and apart he lightly runs a finger down and over her until it just barely brushes over her clit. He's smiling at the sound that suspiciously sounds like a whine when he schools his face. "Is that an appropriate answer?"

"It could be," she tells him, looking at him through her lashes.

The sound of another soft smack against her thigh sounds out into their bedroom that's quickly followed by another moan.

His tone is firm when he says, "Elizabeth."

Getting her full attention she gives him the big eyes that mean she's trying to butter him up.

"Don't you give me those, eyes. I'm immune," he insists, knowing damn well he is _absolutely not_ immune.

Betty sighs out, half a groan and half an acceptance. "Fine. I'll behave."

Seriously doubting that but taking advantage of her amenable state, he tells her, "Get up here."

Still moving in her partially sleepy state she's a little wobbly as she gets to her knees, hair a tangled mess and tired eyes and he's never quite gotten over how beautiful she is. Pulling her back against his chest, moving her legs to the outside of his as he helps her slide down onto him he wraps one around her stomach, holding her to him as they move together while the palm of his other hand comes up to push against the base of her throat with a firm but gentle pressure.

Betty's hands move to hold onto his arm as he applies a little more pressure as he keeps her in place while he thrusts into her from behind.

The little panting moans slipping out of her mouth as her head falls back slightly to where he can see her mouth open and her eyes fluttering is going to drive him crazy. After a soft nip at her earlobe with his teeth he whispers, "Touch yourself."

Immediately he can feel her right hand move down and start circling her clit as he moves faster. The sound of skin on skin and the increasing volume of moaning in the quiet of the room sends them both over the edge, Jughead tightening his hand against her throat to make her come louder and harder. Slowing his pace to help them both cool and calm down he smiles into her hair as she huffs out a slurred, "I love you, Juggie."

Falling to the bed together he pulls her into his arms until her head is resting on his chest when he tells her, "Always?"

She laughs at him. "How about forever?"

* * *

 _ **September 2006**_

 _"Well boys, how was your first day of kindergarten?" Mrs. Andrews asks him and Archie._

 _Archie is bouncing on his feet as he tells his mom everything they did that day, including the chocolate milk that made everything about school a little bit better._

 _As he's talking quickly, Jughead is sitting quietly until he hears Archie say, "And Jug met Betty, Mom!"_

 _Mrs. Andrews looks over at him with a soft smile. "You did? What did you think of her, Jughead?"_

 _Shrugging as he sticks his hand under his hat, pulling out the cookie Betty had given him earlier that day at lunch while telling him to put it somewhere safe so he could have it later, he takes a bite of it as he replies, "I think I'm going to marry her one day."_

* * *

 **And So It Begins**

They're almost late to his book signing thanks to him but he'll never admit it. This isn't the first one and it's not going to be the last. It's always something that sends him into a state of awe and he hopes he never loses that feeling. Reading to the crowd, answering their questions, it feels invasive to him but he's learning to deal with the attention. Sometimes. As Betty tells him, it's the price he's paying for success and while he knows it's true, he sometimes misses the anonymity of just being the lucky bastard who landed the blonde who was way out of his league.

He's still that guy, he guesses. The only difference is now he has to talk about it to total strangers on a regular basis.

 _Life could be worse,_ he thinks as he starts another reading to another full crowd before starting the question and answer portion of the signing.

"Is it true you've been with your wife since you were fifteen?" one person wants to know.

Smiling, he looks to the back of the crowd where he knows she's standing, trying not to draw attention to herself. "That's true."

"And no regrets?"

Raising an eyebrow at the audacity of the question he just shrugs as he leans back into the chair, crossing his arms. "Yeah, just one."

"What's that?"

"That I wasn't with her since the day I met her," he answers, meeting her eye again as she shakes her head at him in amusement. Hearing a loud laugh to the side of him he looks over. "You want to add something, Archie?"

"Nope, I'm good."

Someone else yells out, "When did you meet her?"

Jughead smiles widely. "The first day of kindergarten-"

"Seriously?" a voice calls out from the crowd.

"-and I still can't believe I missed out on ten years of kissing her."

* * *

 _ **For My Beloved**_

 _I read somewhere once that you can fall in love with someone in four minutes. And while I'm not sure how true that is, I think I've been falling in love with you every four minutes since the day we met and I'll keep doing it until I die and even then, I'm sure it won't have been enough._

 _And it was always going to be you, Elizabeth, because in the simplest words I can think of; I can't fall in love without you._

* * *

Our story is about a town, a small town, and the people who live in the town.

From a distance, it presents itself like so many other small towns all over the world Safe. Decent. Innocent. Get closer, though, and you start seeing the shadows underneath. The name of our town is Riverdale.


End file.
